Bluesky goes public, promises a decentralised social media network

After nearly twelve months of operating as an invite-only platform, Bluesky has transitioned to being accessible to the general public. Backed by Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey, Bluesky emerges as a micro-blogging platform offering an alternative to Elon Musk's X.

Prior to its public launch, Bluesky amassed approximately 3 million sign-ups. Now open to all, the platform faces the task of competing against Threads, boasting 130 million monthly active users, and even Mastodon, with its 1.8 million user base. Although Bluesky may resemble X (Twitter) in appearance and functionality, its distinguishing feature lies beneath the surface. Originating as an internal project within Twitter, Bluesky aimed to construct a decentralised infrastructure known as the AT Protocol for social networking.

As a decentralised platform, Bluesky's code is entirely open source, granting external parties insight into its development process. Moreover, developers have the freedom to build upon the AT Protocol, enabling the creation of diverse features ranging from custom algorithms to entirely new social platforms. This model empowers users to exert greater control over their social media interactions.

Notably, Bluesky intends to introduce an experimental version of open federation, akin to Mastodon's diverse array of instances. This update will enable developers to establish their own servers, granting users the flexibility to select their preferred server while retaining their data upon migration.

Additionally, Bluesky plans to introduce a feature allowing individual users or organizations to create bespoke content moderation services, which other users can opt to subscribe to.