After operating on an invite-only basis for almost a year, Bluesky, the micro-blogging platform funded by Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey, is now available to the public. The platform began as an internal project at Twitter and was developed to be a decentralized social networking service using an infrastructural model called the AT Protocol.
Bluesky is entirely open-source, allowing transparency and giving developers the freedom to build on the existing protocol.
Being a decentralized platform allows multiple developments on the site simultaneously and encourages developments from outside the company. This is an advantage as it doesn’t bottleneck changes, making the platform versatile and adaptive, as explained by Bluesky CEO Jay Graber.
In this model, users are empowered to curate and control their social media experience. Unlike with centralised platforms, users are not helpless against changes rolled out by the platform providers; they can revert or modify modifications that don’t suit their preferences.
While Mastodon, a pre-existing decentralized open-source social network, could be seen as similar to Bluesky, they differ in their protocols as well as user-friendliness. Bluesky aims to create a smooth user experience with less technical jargon, making it an attractive space for communities to unite and engage.
Bluesky also plans to launch an experimental version of open federation, giving developers the ability to construct their servers, much like Mastodon. Users are allowed to select their server and can switch domains without losing their posts and followers.
However, the pressing question arises; what happens if a harmful agent creates a server with damaging repercussions? The company has stated that in dire cases, like the dissemination of child abuse material, the AT Protocol team will intervene to eliminate the offensive content. The focus is on maximizing user autonomy while also maintaining online safety.
