What’s Bluesky? The whole lot to grasp concerning the X competitor. by way of NewsFlicks

Is the grass greener at the different aspect? We’re now not certain, however the sky is maximum definitely bluer. It’s been over two years since Elon Musk bought Twitter, now X, main folks to arrange store on choice platforms. Mastodon, Submit, Pebble (two of that have already shuttered operations) and Spill had been offered as doable replacements, however few apart from Meta’s Threads have accomplished the rate of expansion Bluesky has reached.

As of February 2025, Bluesky has surpassed 30 million customers. Its expansion stems from a number of coverage adjustments at X, together with a closely criticized exchange to the block characteristic and permitting 1/3 occasion corporations to teach their AI on customers’ posts, which helped the app leap to the best of the U.S. App Retailer. Bluesky additionally noticed a large spice up following the result of the 2024 U.S. presidential election (which additionally contributed to an X exodus by way of Taylor Swift enthusiasts). However whilst the quantity is promising, the expansion has slowed — and the community has a large number of catching as much as do to compete with Threads’ 275 million per month lively customers.

Beneath, we’ve compiled the solutions to one of the crucial maximum commonplace questions customers have about Bluesky. And in the event you’ve made the transfer, you’ll observe TechCrunch right here in addition to our staff with our Starter Pack.

What’s Bluesky?

Bluesky is a decentralized social app conceptualized by way of former Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey and evolved in parallel with Twitter. The social community has a Twitter-like consumer interface with algorithmic selection, a federated design and community-specific moderation.

Bluesky is the use of an open supply framework constructed in-house, the AT Protocol, that means folks outdoor of the corporate have transparency into how it’s constructed and what’s being evolved.

Dorsey offered the Bluesky undertaking again in 2019 whilst he was once nonetheless Twitter CEO. On the time, he mentioned Twitter can be investment a “small impartial staff of as much as 5 open supply architects, engineers, and architects,” charged with development a decentralized same old for social media, with the unique purpose that Twitter would undertake this same old itself. However that was once ahead of Elon Musk purchased the platform, so Bluesky is totally divorced from X.

As of Might 2024, Dorsey is not on Bluesky’s board. Bluesky is now an impartial public receive advantages company led by way of CEO Jay Graber.

How do you employ Bluesky?

Upon signing up, customers can create a manage which is then represented as @username.bsky.social in addition to a show identify that looks extra outstanding in daring textual content. When you’re so vulnerable, you’ll flip a website identify that you just personal into your username — so, as an example, I’m identified on Bluesky as @amanda.omg.lol.

The app itself purposes similar to X, the place you’ll click on a plus button to create a publish of 256 characters, which is able to additionally come with footage. Posts themselves can also be responded to, retweeted, favored and, from a three-dot menu, reported, shared by the use of the iOS Percentage Sheet to different apps, or copied as textual content.

You’ll be able to seek for and observe different folks, then view their updates on your “House” timeline. In the past, the Bluesky app would characteristic well-liked posts in a “What’s Sizzling” feed. That feed has since been changed with an algorithmic and personalised “Uncover” feed that includes extra than simply trending content material. 

For brand spanking new customers, Bluesky offered a “Starter Pack” characteristic, which creates a curated listing of folks and customized feeds to observe so as to in finding fascinating content material appropriate out of the gate. You’ll be able to in finding TechCrunch’s Starter Pack appropriate right here.

Person profiles comprise the similar kind of options you’d be expecting: a profile pic, background, bio, metrics and what number of people they’re following. Profile feeds are divided into two sections, like X: posts and posts & replies. In January 2025, Bluesky additionally added a brand new video tab to consumer profiles.

There may be a “Uncover” tab within the backside middle of the app’s navigation, which gives extra “who to observe” tips and a operating feed of not too long ago posted Bluesky updates. In January 2025, Bluesky additionally offered a vertical video feed to compete with TikTok.

We’ve additionally put in combination a useful information on the way to use Bluesky right here.

Who’s on Bluesky?

Via the start of July 2023, when Instagram’s Threads introduced, Bluesky crowned one million downloads throughout iOS and Android. Notable figures like Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Mark Cuban, Quinta Brunson, Dril, Bizarre Al Yankovic, Guillermo del Toro, Barbra Streisand, and Brazil President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva have migrated to Bluesky.

Bluesky may be house to information organizations like Bloomberg, The Washington Submit, and naturally, TechCrunch! Since August 2024, Bluesky may be now permitting heads of state to enroll and sign up for the platform for the primary time.

In 2025, some outstanding U.S. political figures arrange accounts at the platform, like Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton. Via Might of that 12 months, Bluesky started verifying “notable” customers with blue checkmarks, very similar to how the blue take a look at used to function on Twitter.

Does Bluesky paintings identical to X?

In some ways, sure. When it first began, Bluesky was once a lot more pared down and didn’t also have DMs, however this key characteristic has since been applied, even with emoji reactions. However DMs on Bluesky are lately restricted to one-to-one messages, now not team messages. Bluesky has additionally mentioned it’s excited about imposing one thing very similar to X’s Group Notes characteristic. Moreover, X does now not use a decentralized protocol like ActivityPub or AT. Bluesky has additionally been checking out a Trending Subjects characteristic and creating its personal picture sharing app referred to as Flashes, which is anticipated to be launched in beta quickly.

In October 2024, Elon Musk introduced that X’s block characteristic would paintings otherwise than it has previously. The brand new block capability permits customers you could have blocked to view your posts and your profile, however now not the power to engage along with your posts. Some customers consider this replace to be a security worry, resulting in an inflow in Bluesky sign-ups as its block characteristic is extra conventional.

In every other transfer that separates Bluesky from X, the social community mentioned it has “no goal” of the use of consumer content material to coach generative AI equipment as X applied a brand new phrases of provider that permits the platform to teach AI fashions on public posts. However that doesn’t forestall 1/3 events from doing so.

Whilst Bluesky was once to begin with kicked off as a undertaking convened by way of Jack Dorsey in 2019 when he was once CEO of Twitter, the social app has been an impartial corporate since its inception in 2021.

Is Bluesky loose?

Sure, and it’s now open to the general public.

How does Bluesky generate profits?

Bluesky’s purpose is to seek out every other approach to maintain its community outdoor of promoting with paid products and services, so it might stay loose to finish customers. On July 5, 2023, Bluesky introduced further seed spherical investment and a paid provider that gives customized domain names for finish customers who wish to have a singular area as their manage at the provider. Bluesky has additionally emphasised that it does now not wish to “require promoting consumer information for commercials” so as to monetize its platform.

In November 2024, Bluesky introduced it raised a $15 million Collection A spherical and is creating a subscription provider for top class options. Bluesky, alternatively, famous its subscription type is not going to observe within the footsteps of X’s “pay to win” top class choices. Customers have noticed mockups teasing the subscription characteristic, dubbed Bluesky+, which might come with options like upper high quality video uploads and profile customizations.

In December 2024, Peter Wang introduced a $1 million fund, dubbed Skyseed, that can be offering grants to these development on Bluesky’s open supply AT Protocol.

Is Bluesky decentralized?

Sure. Bluesky’s staff is creating the decentralized AT Protocol, which Bluesky was once constructed atop. In its beta segment, customers can handiest sign up for the bsky.social community, however Bluesky plans to be federated, that means that unending personally operated communities can exist throughout the open supply community. So, if a developer outdoor of Bluesky constructed their very own new social app the use of the AT Protocol, Bluesky customers may soar over to the brand new app and port over their present fans, manage and information.

“You’ll all the time have the liberty to select (and to go out) as a substitute of being held to the whims of personal corporations or black field algorithms. And anyplace you cross, your mates and relationships might be there too,” a Bluesky weblog publish defined.

What’s the AT Protocol?

Bluesky’s AT Protocol is a decentralized community that builders can use to construct social apps. The social app Bluesky is constructed at the AT Protocol, which was once created by way of the corporate Bluesky (sure, the naming conventions listed here are just a little complicated).

The ATProto network is operating to rebuild a lot of what was Internet 2.0, an previous model of the social internet that integrated social media web sites, blogs, wikis, video- and photo-sharing websites, and different collaborative and hosted products and services. This time round, the apps are being constructed on open generation, now not siloed into centralized products and services that have a tendency to be operated by way of tech giants.

This open structure provides customers and builders as a lot energy because the creators of the protocol.

Centralized tech platforms like Instagram, X, LinkedIn, and Reddit too can domesticate these kind of developer communities by way of providing builders get right of entry to to their APIs. Then again, that API get right of entry to can also be revoked on the discretion of the ones corporations, leaving its developer network helpless and its customers disappointed. This took place at Reddit in 2023. It was once a complete mess.

What third-party apps are constructed at the AT Protocol?

Many builders are development consumer-facing apps on Bluesky or its underlying AT Protocol. Those apps are constructed on open generation, versus being siloed inside giant tech’s centralized, opaque possession.

Some social apps come with Flashes, a photograph viewing consumer; Spark, a TikTok-like app; and Skylight Social, which is subsidized by way of Mark Cuban.

Take a look at our extra complete listing at more than a few apps constructed inside this ecosystem, together with cross-posting apps, song apps, feed developers, and livestreamers.

Is Bluesky safe?

In October 2023, Bluesky added e mail verification as a part of a bigger effort to make stronger account safety and authentication at the community. The addition is the most important step ahead with regards to making Bluesky extra aggressive with better networks like X, that have extra tough safety controls. In December 2023, Bluesky allowed customers to decide out of a metamorphosis that might reveal their posts to the general public internet following backlash from customers. 

Is Bluesky customizable?

Sure. In Might 2023, Bluesky launched customized algorithms, which it calls “customized feeds.” Customized feeds permit customers to subscribe to more than one other algorithms that show off other varieties of posts a consumer would possibly wish to see. You’ll be able to pin customized feeds that can display up on the best of your timeline as other tabs to pick out from. The feeds you pin, or save, are situated below the “My Feeds” menu within the app’s sidebar.

In March 2024,​​ the corporate introduced “AT Protocol Grants,” a brand new program that can dole out small grants to builders so as to foster expansion and customization. One of the crucial recipients, SkyFeed, is a customized instrument that shall we someone construct their very own feeds the use of a graphical consumer interface. 

Is Bluesky on iOS and Android?

Sure. Bluesky has rolled out to Android customers after it was once to begin with introduced to iOS customers. Customers can get right of entry to Bluesky on the net right here.

How does Bluesky take on incorrect information?

After an October 2023 replace, the app will now warn customers of deceptive hyperlinks by way of flagging them. If hyperlinks shared in customers’ posts don’t fit their textual content, the app will be offering a “most likely deceptive” caution to the consumer to alert them that the hyperlink is also directing them someplace they don’t wish to cross.

In December 2024, the Bluesky Protection staff posted that the corporate up to date its impersonation coverage to be “extra competitive,” including that “impersonation and handle-squatting accounts might be got rid of.” The corporate mentioned it’s additionally exploring possible choices to its present area manage verification procedure.

Bluesky additionally added blue take a look at verification in Might 2025, which makes it more straightforward for customers to ensure that notable figures are who they are saying they’re; not like X, Bluesky does now not permit customers to shop for this designation.

Has Bluesky had any controversies?

Bluesky has been embattled with moderation problems since its first release. The app has been accused of failing to offer protection to its marginalized customers and failing to average racist content material. Following an argument concerning the app permitting racial slurs in account handles, annoyed customers initiated a “posting strike,” the place they refused to have interaction with the platform till it established guardrails to flag slurs and different offensive phrases in usernames.

In December 2024, Bluesky additionally confronted complaint when author and podcast host Jesse Singal joined the platform. Singal has been cataloged by way of GLAAD’s Duty Mission for his writings on transgender problems and different issues. Bluesky customers have reported Singal’s account en masse, main the corporate to prohibit him, reinstate him, after which label his account illiberal by way of its moderation provider.

As Bluesky has gotten extra well-liked, critics have complained that the tradition is disproportionately left-leaning, which might probably be a results of Bluesky’s expansion as an alternative choice to X, which has turn out to be more and more right-wing.

Those are vast generalizations that can range from consumer to consumer — Mark Cuban, as an example, complained that folks would now not communicate to him in just right religion about trade or AI — however the structure of Bluesky permits for customers to customise a extra personalised enjoy.

What moderation options does Bluesky have?

In December 2023, Bluesky rolled out “extra complex computerized tooling” designed to flag content material that violates its Group Pointers that can then be reviewed by way of the app’s moderation staff. Bluesky has moderation options very similar to ones on X, together with consumer lists and moderation lists, and a characteristic that shall we customers prohibit who can respond to posts. Then again, some Bluesky customers are nonetheless advocating for the power to set their accounts to non-public. 

In March 2024, the corporate introduced Ozone, a device that shall we customers create and run their very own impartial moderation products and services that can give customers “remarkable regulate” over their social media enjoy. In October 2024, Bluesky joined Instragram’s Threads app so that you can courtroom customers who had been annoyed by way of Meta’s moderation problems.

In January 2025, Bluesky printed its 2024 moderation document that mentioned it noticed a 17x building up moderately studies following the fast expansion at the platform. The document additionally famous that the most important choice of studies got here from customers reporting accounts or posts for harassment, trolling, or intolerance — a subject matter that’s plagued Bluesky because it’s grown. To satisfy the calls for led to by way of this expansion, Bluesky larger its moderation staff to kind of 100 moderators and can proceed to rent.

Bluesky remodeled its Group Pointers in August 2025, with one of the crucial adjustments representing an effort by way of Bluesky to purposefully form its network and the conduct of its customers.

What’s the adaptation between Bluesky and Mastodon?

Despite the fact that Bluesky’s structure is very similar to Mastodon’s, many customers have discovered Bluesky to be extra intuitive, whilst Mastodon can come off as inaccessible: Opting for which example to sign up for appears like an inconceivable job on Mastodon, and longtime customers are very defensive about their established posting norms, which may make becoming a member of the dialog intimidating. To stay aggressive, Mastodon not too long ago simplified its sign-up float, making mastodon.social the default server for brand spanking new customers.

Then again, the release of federation will make it paintings extra in a similar way to Mastodon in that customers can pick out and make a choice which servers to sign up for and transfer their accounts round at will. 

Who owns Bluesky?

Despite the fact that Jack Dorsey funded Bluesky, he isn’t enthusiastic about day by day building and not sits at the corporate’s board. The CEO of Bluesky is Jay Graber, who prior to now labored as a tool engineer for the cryptocurrency Zcash, then based an event-planning web page referred to as Going down.

This tale was once firstly printed in Might 2023 and is up to date ceaselessly with new knowledge.