If you haven’t yet spotted the sky-blue butterfly (Bluesky logo, actually) fluttering around the tech garden, where have you been hiding, friend?
But before breaking the story to you, let me give you a glimpse of the scenes behind it.
Elon Musk and his X!
Except the stone men, who don’t know Elon Musk and his X (the formerly called Twitter, just to be clear)?
The big name in social networking, the X, has been struggling since Elon Musk took the reins. His hands-off approach to content moderation, in the name of free speech, has led some to label it a toxic media platform.
With the recent political polarization, especially between MAGA supporters and progressives, X has become too hot to handle for many non-MAGA users.
After the recent U.S. elections, it has seen a mass exodus of users. Over 115,000 accounts deactivated in just one day. They’ve gone on the lookout for a more inviting online space where they can escape the chaos and negativity that’s taken over.
With so many amazing options like Threads, Mastodon, and Nostr, people seem to be more interested in Bluesky, and when I discovered it, I’d say, for good reasons.
My Apologetic Letter to Threads
After resigning from X, I was one of those who jumped on the Threads bandwagon, but I eventually found myself rebelling against it. (Trust me, you won’t blame me once you hear why!)
With so many people begging the attention of Threads Algorithm with their letters, I ultimately had to write my letter too.
Dear Threads Algorithm,
Look, it’s not you, it’s me. I truly appreciate the quirky charm of this platform. But, I’m officially off your grid. I’ve found a place where I can actually control what I see. So, with a heavy heart (and lighter thumbs), I apologize for abandoning you after receiving the invitation on your platform. It’s a bit ironic, I know. But, I’m hoping to find a more fulfilling social media experience. Wish me luck!
Sincerely,
A Recovering Social Media Scroller
I was the early bird on the Bluesky!
In my letter, I was talking about Bluesky.
Bluesky is a fresh and exciting social media platform that has a new twist to offer you on your familiar microblogging experience. It was created by Jack Dorsey, the co-founder of Twitter (who unfortunately is no longer a part of it). Bluesky utilizes the Authenticated Transfer (AT) Protocol which allows users to customize their feeds and even host their own data. Bluesky has its aim to provide users with more control over their online interactions.
Unlike our everyday platforms that have their rope in the hands of a single company, Bluesky operates on a decentralized network, meaning no one entity has all the power.
I joined Bluesky early on, thanks to a lucky invite. Since opening its doors to the public in February 2024, Bluesky has been gaining popularity at an astonishing rate. The user base skyrocketed from 13 million in October to over 24 million by December 2024. Clearly, people are seeking a friendlier and less chaotic social media experience.
On Bluesky too, you can only share short messages (up to 300 characters), images, and videos (up to 60 seconds).
What, in Bluesky, Impressed a Techie?
As a nerdy developer and crazy techie, the first thing about Bluesky that impressed me was its unique feed mechanic.
Unlike other platforms, there’s no single, elusive algorithm. But it lets you create your own personalized feeds and organize your interests with lists so you just see what you truly want to see.
It means I had the remote control of my social feed in my own hands. I get to decide what I see and who I want to connect with. I set my feed that perfectly fit my vibe. This customization freedom is one of the platform’s most revolutionary aspects.
While Mastodon and Nostr also offer ways to customize your experience, they don’t quite match Bluesky’s intuitive approach.
Ahh! And the Decentralization!
As I said, the platform is decentralized and uses ATP protocol. It means if someday I create a new app using the AT Protocol, you, being a Bluesky user, can easily switch over and take your followers and data with yourself. Users can own their content and even take their accounts to other platforms that use the same technology, the AT Protocol. This means you’re not stuck in one place if you decide to switch networks.
I Met Keanu Reeves-s or Sandra Bullock-s
The same charm on their face; I couldn’t tell at first glance that it wasn’t Sandra Bullock. As the Bluesky community continues to grow, scammers and bots have also made their place. Not only the usual fake profiles of attractive girls promising explicit photos, I encountered dozens of fake profiles impersonating celebrities like “Keanu Reeves” or “Sandra Bullock, often so convincing that it’s hard to tell the fakes from the real deal.
I looked around and fortunately found a cool solution, the Moderation Lists system. This feature allows users to filter out unwanted content, block suspicious accounts, and keep their timelines clean and enjoyable.
The Last Note:
Despite the occasional troll or bot, Bluesky continues to be a fascinating experiment. While Threads is a chaotic mess and X has lost its way, Bluesky remains a haven for genuine connections. It’s the perfect place to geek out with researchers, developers, and writers — a community that truly gets me.
Thanks to my early bird status on Bluesky, I’ve amassed a respectable following — a few hundred strong, at least! I even went fancy and added a link to nohello.net in my bio to manage the flood of direct messages (DMs) coming my way. Unfortunately, a good chunk of these messages seem to be more interested in selling me things than having genuine conversations. Hey, can’t win ’em all, right?”
Follow me, eldoleo, as I’m a celebrity with hundreds of followers — hurry before someone impersonates me too! (P.S. See you on Bluesky! But just so you know, I’m not interested in buying the latest fancy blue skirts.)