It’s time. The move to make BlueSky open to public will encourage a portion of these individuals to become active participants, positioning Bluesky as a vibrant hub for wide-ranging discussions, thereby introducing Bsky Social to a broader demographic.
Is Bluesky open to public yet?
Despite the rising prominence of ActivityPub, Bluesky is poised to reclaim the limelight. Starting this week, the platform is eliminating its invitation-only model, making BlueSky open to public, welcoming anyone interested in joining. Additionally, plans are underway to empower external developers to establish their servers using its proprietary AT Protocol, intended as a formidable competitor to ActivityPub. This strategy aims to offer Bluesky users the freedom to explore diverse experiences beyond the company’s direct control, seamlessly migrating their profiles across competing apps within the network.
In a dialogue with The Verge, CEO Jay Graber shared insights into the platform’s journey. The focus has been on enhancing moderation capabilities and ensuring a robust infrastructure, paving the way for its transition from closed beta. Graber revealed that Bluesky has attracted over 3 million sign-ups since its inception a year ago, with a significant uptick in downloads.
Operated as a public benefit entity, Bluesky boasts a team of nearly 40 dedicated full-time staff, with approximately half focusing on moderation and user support. CEO Jay Graber highlights that the Bluesky platform enjoys a vibrant community of 1.6 million monthly users and offers an array of 25,000 custom feeds for selection, courtesy of the innovative AT Protocol. These custom feeds embody Bluesky’s distinctiveness, with Graber mentioning one of her favorites that exclusively features images of moss, showcasing the platform’s embrace of individuality and creativity.
The future of Bsky Social
With the impending activation of the AT Protocol for external developers, Bluesky is on the verge of a transformative phase. This will enable virtually anyone to establish a server governed by their own set of rules, marking what Graber describes as an “experimental rollout.” She anticipates a cautious approach to this expansion, aiming to manage the network’s evolution without abrupt changes.
As Bluesky prepares to open up the AT Protocol, the company is exploring diverse revenue streams, including premium features within the app and a commission from sales related to custom feeds, which developers will have the flexibility to monetize. Additionally, efforts are underway to develop a solution akin to Cloudflare for the AT Protocol, facilitating easier server management for others.
Currently overseeing the AT Protocol, Graber is mindful of the need for a more sustainable governance model. The strategy involves transferring control to an established web standards organization, such as the Internet Engineering Task Force, to ensure broad-based adoption and development. While integration with ActivityPub is not immediately planned, Bluesky is open to potential interoperability, signaling a future where BlueSky open to public and Bsky Social could seamlessly connect with a wider ecosystem of decentralized social networks.
Graber views the current era as one of pioneering exploration, noting the remarkable shift in the digital landscape as entities such as Meta venture into realms of decentralization once deemed inconceivable. Despite ActivityPub’s dominance in the current discourse, Bluesky harbors the belief that there remains ample opportunity for a fresh perspective on what is progressively emerging as the forthcoming chapter in social networking.
This sentiment underscores Bluesky’s ambition to carve out its niche within this evolving space, positioning itself as a viable alternative with its unique approach. With BlueSky open to public the platform is set to contribute significantly to the diversification and innovation of decentralized social media platforms.
FAQs
What is Bluesky app?
At its core, the Bluesky app is a conduit to a decentralized social networking experience. It is powered by the proprietary AT Protocol, which enables users to navigate and contribute to a diverse digital ecosystem, replete with custom feeds and unique communities.
Who owns Bluesky?
Operated as a public-benefit entity, Bluesky is steered by visionaries like CEO Jay Graber, emphasizing a commitment to serving the public’s interest through innovation and user support.
Current BlueSky user count
With the platform now boasting over 3 million users, Bluesky’s growing appeal reflects a significant shift in the landscape of social media, attracting a diverse audience eager for a decentralized experience.
How does Bluesky signup process work?
With the platform now open to the public, signing up for Bluesky has become a straightforward process, inviting a wave of new users to explore its decentralized social network.
Bsky Social: Input/handle must be a valid handle error
When encountering the “Input/handle must be a valid handle” error during account creation, it suggests that the format of the username you’re attempting to register doesn’t meet the platform’s requirements or it’s already in use. This error often occurs because of specific formatting rules for handles – for example, including invalid characters or spaces, or not following the required structure such as placing the name directly after an “@” symbol and before a period, without any spaces.
To resolve this issue, first, ensure that your chosen handle complies with the platform’s guidelines for valid handles. This typically means avoiding special characters (other than underscores or dots, depending on the platform), and ensuring that it starts with a letter or a number. If the platform indicates the handle must be positioned between an “@” symbol and a period, this is usually part of an email address or a specific username format requirement, so make sure your input adheres to this format.
What is Friend.Tech and how do you get an invite code?
If you suspect the handle isn’t taken and you’re still facing the issue, try initially selecting a different handle to complete the account creation process. Once your account is set up, you can often change your handle through the account settings. This step might bypass the error if the system’s initial check is overly cautious. Remember, the availability of a handle can sometimes be incorrectly flagged by the system, especially if it’s close to another existing handle or if there’s a delay in the platform’s database updating handle availability.
How Bluesky’s Twitter import impacts social connectivity?
This feature underlines Bluesky’s ambition to serve as a bridge for users transitioning from conventional platforms like Twitter, facilitating a seamless integration of digital identities.
Is Bluesky Fediverse?
While Bluesky currently thrives on its unique AT Protocol, its openness towards future interoperability signals an ambitious vision to integrate within the broader Fediverse, fostering enhanced digital connectivity.
Featured image credit: Swello/Unsplash
