Bluesky | Everything you need to know about Twitter's new competitor
Bluesky is a breath of fresh air, in the middle of centralized social media platforms, where your data is owned by companies and subject to very strict policies! Of course, you can’t understand what I’m talking about yet, but if I asked you how long has it been since Elon Musk bought Twitter, and of course after that renamed it X? It’s been more than a year since this happened, but this has prompted many users to escape this application and create accounts on alternative platforms, and here comes the Bluesky application to give you a special refreshment, instead of some annoying tweets.
Bluesky, a platform that puts freedom of expression at the forefront of its concerns, promises to give users a wide space to interact without restrictions or centralization, but can Bluesky achieve the delicate balance between freedom and responsibility? Will it succeed in being an alternative to Twitter? Let's learn more about this wonderful platform and you are the one who has the freedom to choose in the end.
What is Bluesky?
Bluesky is a decentralized social media application designed by Jack Dorsey, the former CEO of Twitter, and developed in conjunction with Twitter. The application features a Twitter-like user interface with the ability to use algorithms, a unified design, and a balanced community. Bluesky is based on an open source framework called the AT Protocol, which means that individuals outside the company can clearly participate in building and developing the application.
Dorsey introduced the Bluesky project in 2019 while he was CEO of Twitter. At the time, he announced that Twitter would support “a small independent team of up to five engineers, design experts, and open source protocol experts,” tasked with building a decentralized standard for social media. The original goal was for Twitter itself to adopt the standard. However, after Elon Musk bought the platform, Bluesky completely separated from Twitter in late 2022. Dorsey even used Bluesky to express his frustration with Musk’s management.
How to use Bluesky?
When registering, users can create a username which is then represented as @username.bsky.social as well as a display name which appears more prominently in bold text. Of course, if you wish, you can convert a domain name you own into a username.
The app itself works similarly to basic Twitter, where you tap a plus button to create a 256-character post, which can also include images. Posts themselves can be replied to, retweeted, liked, and, via a three-dot menu, reported, shared via the iOS share sheet to other apps, or copied as text.
You can search for other people to follow, then view their updates in your “Home” history. Previously, Bluesky displayed popular posts in a “What’s Hot” feed. That prompt has since been replaced with an algorithmic, personalized “featuring” prompt that offers more than just trending content. There’s also a “Discover” tab at the bottom center of the app’s navigation, which offers more “who to follow” suggestions and a running prompt of Bluesky’s recently published updates.
Who uses the Bluesky platform?
In early July 2023, when Threads was launched on Instagram, Bluesky surpassed 1 million downloads across iOS and Android, and of course the first to move to it were some prominent foreign figures. It is also home to news organizations and journalists such as Bloomberg and The Washington Post . With Bluesky's increasing popularity in recent times, I feel that more figures will move to it, especially after the recent war between Twitter and Brazil and the ban on Twitter from there, so many have turned to platforms similar to and competing with Twitter (X).
Does Bluesky work like Twitter?
The answer is yes, however, Bluesky still doesn’t have direct messaging or some advanced tools like adding accounts to lists. Additionally, Twitter doesn’t use a decentralized protocol like ActivityPub or AT . Basically, Bluesky started as a project held by Jack Dorsey in 2019 when he was the CEO of Twitter, but the social media app has become an independent company since its inception in 2021.
Bluesky's unique features compared to Twitter
Bluesky offers some unique features that set it apart from Twitter, which makes it an attractive option for many users. Here are some of the advantages:
- User Control Over Content and Timelines: Bluesky focuses on user autonomy, allowing you to decide what your feed contains and how it is edited.
- Decentralized Open Source Nature: Unlike many major platforms, Bluesky operates on an open source model, which promotes transparency and community engagement.
- Independence from larger entities: Despite its initial funding and ties to Twitter, Bluesky operates independently, ensuring that its decisions are not influenced by larger companies.
- User Account Protection: One of the standout features of Bluesky is the AT protocol, which allows you to transfer your accounts to another social media site without losing your data or followers.
- Fun and Free Environment: The platform provides a refreshing environment where users can share a variety of content, from picturesque blue skies to personal stories, without feeling like they have to be promotional.
- Content moderation flexibility: Developers who manage their own servers can set their own content moderation policies, allowing for a more adaptable approach to content curation.
After we have explained to you the features of this wonderful application, which gives the user a great deal of freedom, unlike other restricted and centralized means of communication, but this does not prevent the presence of defects in this application, and here we work with complete transparency to inform you of everything related to this platform, and you are the one who has the absolute freedom to choose whether to try this new platform or remain as you are on the X platform or any platform you are comfortable using.
Disadvantages of Bluesky compared to Twitter
As we explained, not everything is like the color of the sky, which is very clear blue, but there are some clouds that have a cloudy color. Here are some of these clouds:
- Profitability Ambiguity: How Bluesky makes money is still unclear, and this ambiguity raises questions about its long-term sustainability and how it might impact user experience in the future.
- Decentralization Limitations: Although Bluesky promotes itself as a decentralized platform, Bluesky Social is currently the only site that uses the AT protocol. This limits the true potential.
- Content Moderation Challenges: Flexibility in moderation is a good thing but different servers with different moderation policies can lead to inconsistent user experiences and potential havens for malicious content.
- Dependence on Twitter Infrastructure: Despite its independence, Bluesky is still heavily dependent on Twitter's infrastructure.
- Growth: Bluesky is still working on solving technical and operational issues As a relatively new platform, users may experience bugs, downtime, or other challenges as the platform expands.
I hope that these shortcomings have made the picture clearer for you, but they have not changed your decision to use the platform experience. You may feel that there are more questions that you would like to ask, and as it seems, we are not finished with our article yet. There are some common questions that are circulated about this platform. We will ask the questions and answer them.
Answers to frequently asked questions about Bluesky
Here are the most common questions about Bluesky, the most popular alternative to Twitter:
Is BlueSky really free?
Yes, BlueSky is completely free to use, while BlueSky offers some paid services like custom domains, the platform's basic features are free for everyone.
How does Bluesky make money?
BlueSky is looking for other ways to sustain its network other than relying on advertising. Currently, BlueSky offers custom domains as a paid service, and it also relies on external funding.
Is BlueSky safe?
Yes, BlueSky prioritizes user security. They have recently implemented email verification and other security features to enhance the protection of user accounts.
Is Bluesky better than other platforms like Mastodon?
Some users find BlueSky easier to use than Mastodon, although both platforms have a decentralized structure, BlueSky has a more user-friendly and simpler interface, compared to Mastodon. If you don’t know about Mastodon, one of the most popular alternatives to Twitter, here is everything you need to know about this amazing platform, Mastodon App | Here is the most important information about the current X alternative
Who owns BlueSky?
Although Jack Dorsey, the former founder of Twitter, helped fund Bluesky, he is not involved in the day-to-day development. Bluesky is currently run by Jay Graber, a former software engineer who has co-founded other successful projects. I hope this article has provided you with useful information about Bluesky. If you are looking for an alternative to Twitter that gives you more privacy and freedom, Bluesky is worth a try!
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