Bluesky, a decentralized alternative to Twitter, is already available for download on Android devices (in February, the application appeared in the App Store) – however, as reported by The Verge, it can still be used only by prior invitation.
Screenshots of the program show a program that looks very similar to Twitter, and some features duplicate the functions of Elon Musk’s social network. Bluesky allows you to search for other users and track their updates, create posts and add media. The app operates as a beta version, so it has a limited number of users (about 25,000) and no features like direct messages.
The project originated at Twitter in 2019, and last year the decentralized social network spun off into a separate company – executives noted that “independence is important to the success of the project.” Jack Dorsey himself (former CEO of Twitter) joined Bluesky’s board of directors.
The app runs on an open-source social network protocol called the Authenticated Transfer Protocol, or AT Protocol. In the description of the program, it is stated that Bluesky is a “social network” that unites separate networks in a single center. AT Protocol is built around four main ideas: account mobility, algorithmicity, productivity, and interoperability. This structure is supposed to allow you to easily transfer your account data to another Bluesky provider, as well as more effectively control the content you see.
Project leaders say that the program is designed to allow users to decide what they want to see and how to use social networks.
“For developers, an open algorithm marketplace will provide freedom to experiment and publish algorithms that anyone can use. Giving users the ability to customize their channel will help them control their most valuable resource: their attention,” Bluesky CEO Jay Graber wrote last month.
Graber says moderation needs to be addressed before the app opens to the public: “We wanted to prioritize user safety from the beginning.”
Engadget predicts the app will use “a mix of automatic filtering and server-level moderation managed by administrators.”
