Comedians, Models, Politicians embrace Twitter's emerging competitor dubbed Bluesky
Bluesky, like Twitter in appearance, prioritises creating a foundational interface. It champions decentralisation, enabling users to maintain connections and identity across multiple social platforms
Highlights
- Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey launched the Bluesky project
- The project became independent long before Musk's Twitter acquisition
- Bluesky currently has over 40,000 users with invite-only access
Bluesky, a decntralised micro-blogging platform, which resembles Twitter, is focused on developing an underlying interface. It promotes decentralisation by allowing users to keep their connections and a sense of self across numerous social platforms. This strategy lessens dependency on a single service provider and improves data control by allowing users to select platforms with their preferred user interface and content moderation.
In 2019, Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey launched the Bluesky project, which was first supported by the service as a side-project to create a decentralised social media standard.
When Twitter first launched, Dorsey stated that he wanted it to ‘ultimately be a client of this standard.’ Under the direction of Chief Executive Officer Jay Graber, Bluesky declared the establishment of the Bluesky PBLLC (Bluesky Public Benefit Limited Liability Company) as a separate entity in 2022.
In light of recent problems at Twitter with Elon Musk's ownership, certain platform-paid services and debates about bias on the platform, BlueSky could emerge as stiff competitor in this space.
Is Elon Musk involved?
Elon Musk is not part of Bluesky's journey. The project became independent long before Musk's Twitter acquisition, and it appears that the relationship between Musk and Twitter's ex-CEO, Jack Dorsey, has become strained.
Growing interest, limited access
Bluesky currently has a user base of over 40,000, but it's still invite-only. However, the demand for access is much higher. The Bluesky iPhone app has been downloaded around 360,000 times, and the Android app is gaining popularity, especially in the US, UK, and Japan.
Comedians, Models, Politicians on board
Renowned users including US Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, comedian-writer Dril, and model Chrissy Teigen have all signed up. Despite a recent spike in users, it is still solely accessible via invitation.
Despite its small and controlled community, Bluesky is dealing with impersonation problems. Some accounts have been flagged as fake, leading to warning labels. Bluesky allows users to report accounts for impersonation.
Getting an invite
To join Bluesky, you need an invite code, and the only way to obtain one is by joining the waitlist through the Bluesky app or website. Unfortunately, signing up won't provide an estimated time for access, as it's currently a waiting game. However, some lucky individuals may receive invite codes from developers or active Bluesky users willing to share them.
