Bluesky Social Media is a new social media platform that’s causing a lot of buzz. It looks like Twitter, acts like Twitter, and boasts some unique features backed by a decentralized platform. But can it stand out among the other social media apps and sites that are already in the market?
It’s still early days for Bluesky, which launched on app stores in February and is currently at an invite-only stage. People need an invite code to join, and there’s a waiting list. But with glowing media coverage and high popularity rankings in app stores, the small user base has momentum. Its creators say it’s attracting new users with its friendly vibes and the sense of safety it offers marginalized communities.
At first glance, Bluesky looks a lot like old Twitter, right down to the blue accents on the UI. It allows for post lengths of up to 300 characters, and lets you follow other accounts and repost posts (similar to retweeting). The main difference is that it doesn’t offer direct messaging or video functionality, though there are plans for both down the line. Bluesky also doesn’t support hashtags yet, although that is a feature the developers plan to add in a future update.
What really makes the platform unique is its Bsky app decentralized platform, which allows users to host their own servers for the service. It’s a concept that may change the way we think of social media, as it could allow for a more personalized experience for everyone.
Bluesky is also experimenting with content moderation. At the moment, the social network only uses human moderators for a few categories, such as "explicit sexual images" and political hate groups. But it wants to eventually give users more control over what they see, with the option of creating their own feeds based on specific keywords.
One thing that separates Bluesky from other popular social networks is its chronological feed. It’s the only social platform that currently displays posts in the order they were posted, as opposed to Facebook or TikTok’s algorithm-driven feeds. Bluesky’s CEO says she hopes the platform will encourage users to think more about how algorithms work. Bluesky also offers “custom feeds,” which are essentially pre-made algorithms for users to choose from, including some that filter posts by language and topic. One of these feeds is dedicated to the TV show Alf, for instance.
While Bluesky hasn’t reached the level of functionality of other social networks just yet, it is a promising challenger to the established players in the space. Its young, recognizable user base has given it a lot of appeal, especially for 30-something millennials who are well-versed in online social media. However, it’s unclear whether Bluesky will be able to keep up its current pace of growth once it’s available to the general public.