What’s up?. Bluesky: Will Jack Dorsey’s app provide users an alternative to Twitter?

After resigning as Twitter CEO in November 2021, Jack Dorsey is looking to make a comeback in the business of social media with Bluesky, which hit app stores on Tuesday night. Although the app is only available as an invite-only beta, this likely signals that the public launch of the app is imminent. 

Bluesky is essentially a Twitter spinoff, incubated by Twitter before being set up as a separate organisation. It runs on a decentralised social network protocol which allows users to collaborate to create one social network that is decentralised or not controlled or owned by one entity.

Bluesky has also been incorporated as a public benefit corporation in the United States, which means that in addition to profit, the company also recognises positive impact to society, workers, community and the environment as its legally defined goals. 

Optimised user interface

But will Dorsey be able to offer a viable alternative to Twitter which under Elon Musk has gone through changes that have put off some users? Experts believe that it is quite unlikely that a platform like Bluesky can pip Twitter.

Prateek Waghre of the Internet Freedom Foundation said, “While decentralised social media platforms have gained prominence in the past 4-5 years, it is largely motivated by concerns associated with traditional social media sites. However, centralised social media protocol has its own benefits around optimised engagement, better response times, and generally better user experience. Even if users are concerned about the harms of mainstream social media, users much prefer the optimised user interface of a centralised social media platform like Twitter.” 

In its initial avatar, Bluesky offers users a simple interface, where they can click a plus button to create a post of 256 characters, which can include photos. While Twitter asks “What’s happening?”, Bluesky asks “What’s up?”

Putting up a fight

Bluesky is not the only decentralised social media platform available in the market – many other platforms such as Mastedon, Steemit, and Minds are also trying to utlise blockchain technology to make a social media site that is more resistant to censorship than mainstream, centralised social media sites. Another benefit of a decentralised social media site is that it could offer users greater control of their data: which is why platforms like Mastedon have gained traction following Musk’s Twitter acquisition, as users left Twitter offended by Musk’s moderation policies to try decentralised platforms. 

Internet researcher Srinivas Kodali said, “Jack Dorsey was likely motivated to back Bluesky because he does not agree with authoritative social media moderation policies, as followed by Musk.”

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