Bluesky is a promising Twitter alternative with groundbreaking networking technology that aims to provide users with a decentralized and more secure social media experience. Developed by Twitter’s former CEO Jack Dorsey, Bluesky is designed to give users control over their data and prioritize privacy while still allowing for easy communication and engagement with others. Its innovative networking technology is based on blockchain and peer-to-peer protocols, enabling users to connect and communicate without the need for a centralized platform. With its potential to disrupt the social media landscape, Bluesky presents an exciting opportunity for individuals and businesses looking for a more secure and decentralized alternative to Twitter.
Bluesky: A Decentralized Social Media Gamechanger
Bluesky emerged from Twitter in 2019 as a side project aimed at creating a decentralized social media framework. In February 2023, the beta version of the Bluesky app was released, becoming independent from Twitter. The Bluesky app is built on decentralized AT protocol infrastructure, which enables new ways for users to transparently communicate with each other. Bluesky’s primary goal is to revitalize social media as a trusted public square by focusing on creating a platform that is trustworthy, scalable, and portable.
Bluesky’s goals guide its development, which includes algorithm and moderation transparency, the ability to change the moderation and algorithm(s) used on your personal profile feed, and the creation of a decentralized social network protocol that could be used by anyone. Bluesky is often called a decentralized Twitter alternative and viewed as a competitor to the tech giant. But Bluesky was also the brainchild — and largely the creation — of Twitter.
The Bluesky User Experience
While still in beta, Bluesky as an app appears to be largely modeled on Twitter itself. While essentially a rival to Twitter and other Twitter alternatives, the initial reaction from some is that it feels too similar, having features like comments, likes, and reposts (like Twitter’s retweets). This includes how these posts, replies, and the feed itself are visually presented to Bluesky users. While there are some differences, they are largely minor (post character limit of 265 instead of 280, for example).
Bluesky’s Innovative Networking Technology: AT Protocol
While the UX and the features of Bluesky resemble Twitter, the chief goal of the app was to create a decentralized social network protocol that could be used by anyone. Called authenticated transport (AT) protocol, this is the technology upon which Bluesky is built. The AT protocol enables the creation of not a single social network, but a federation of social networks that could interact with each other. This means that others could create their own social media platforms using AT protocol technology, and users could transparently communicate with each other.
What Bluesky and AT Protocol Mean for Social Media Users
With AT protocol, one key feature is the ability to port over a social media profile to another network without losing the key data and social contacts you value. For example, if you have an account with a username handle and messaging history, and for some reason you didn’t like how Bluesky was operating, you could simply port over your entire account to a Bluesky alternative that is built on the AT protocol and continue as if nothing changed. This solves one of the major pain points of leaving and joining social networks.
In conclusion, Bluesky and its AT protocol technology are poised to revolutionize the social media landscape by creating a platform that is trustworthy, scalable, and portable. With the ability to transparently communicate with each other and port over social media profiles, the possibilities for decentralized social networks are endless.