Despite its success, Bluesky is not without its flaws. The platform recently raised $15 million in a funding round led by Blockchain Capital, leading to concerns about the potential for hyperfinancialization of the user experience. However, Bluesky's leadership has promised to remain focused on the user. The author suggests that Bluesky could further improve by allowing users more control over the platform and exploring alternative monetization strategies, such as voluntary subscriptions.
Key takeaways:
- Bluesky, a decentralized social network, has recently gained popularity, hitting 15 million users and claiming the no. 1 spot on the App Store. This is largely due to users fleeing from Elon Musk's X-né-Twitter due to its controversial policies and practices.
- Bluesky's success is attributed to its user-centric approach, offering features such as real-time, reverse chronological feed, customizable user experience, and responsive content moderation. It also promises not to throttle links or train AI models on posts.
- Despite its success, Bluesky has its shortcomings. It recently raised a $15 million series A funding round led by Blockchain Capital, raising concerns about potential future monetization strategies. However, the leadership has promised to remain focused on the user experience.
- There are suggestions for Bluesky to further improve its platform, such as introducing a mechanism for users to have a direct say in platform governance matters, testing voluntary subscription offerings, and ensuring that the user experience won't erode when investors want to see returns on their investment.