Rapid Response: Bluesky’s bold plan beyond the ‘X-odus’, with COO Rose Wang
Masters of Scale
Deep Dive
Why are millions of users switching from X to Bluesky?
Users are leaving X due to dissatisfaction with the platform's experience, including dark patterns, lack of safety, and unmet human needs. Bluesky offers a decentralized, user-first platform with data privacy, personal connections, and democratization, which appeals to those seeking a better social media experience.
How has Bluesky handled the recent surge in users?
Bluesky has experienced hyper-growth, with 24 million active users and significant increases from Brazil, Japan, and the U.S. The small 20-person team prioritizes keeping the app online and has managed the growth well, despite the challenges of maintaining service during such rapid expansion.
What makes Bluesky different from X?
Bluesky is an open social media platform that gives users control over their experience. Unlike X, it offers over 50,000 customizable feeds, prioritizes chronological feeds, and avoids a single dominant algorithm. This allows users to interact with real people and have more intimate, meaningful conversations.
How does Bluesky approach content moderation?
Bluesky uses a stackable moderation system inspired by court systems. Users can label posts for rudeness, spoilers, or misinformation, creating a decentralized moderation process. This empowers communities to govern themselves while the Bluesky team handles larger issues that violate terms of service.
What is Bluesky's stance on user data and AI training?
Bluesky has chosen an open data model similar to Reddit, where user content is public but users can express consent for their data to be used. The company promises not to profit from user data for AI models, focusing instead on building a decentralized social web.
What is Bluesky's business model?
Bluesky's primary business model is subscriptions, with no ads or paywalls for core features. The company also plans to facilitate user-to-user payments, taking a percentage of transactions, and is exploring ways to amplify user-driven value without forcing new behaviors.
How does Bluesky view the future of social media?
Bluesky envisions a decentralized social web where users can choose their experience across multiple apps built on its open infrastructure. The company believes in a cyclical evolution of social media, with unbundling and rebundling of communities based on user needs and preferences.
Why does Bluesky prioritize safety and positivity?
Bluesky prioritizes safety and positivity because the platform was initially built by its small team, which includes two women who have experienced the internet from a marginalized perspective. The company believes in creating a safe environment before scaling, which has contributed to its positive user experience.
How does Bluesky plan to handle growth and future challenges?
Bluesky focuses on prioritizing its core users, such as independent creators and journalists, who want to build a presence online. The company believes in focusing on user needs and creating a democratic online society, which will naturally attract more users and opportunities.
- Millions of users have joined Bluesky in recent weeks.
- The growth is not limited to one event; it's due to accumulated user dissatisfaction with other platforms.
- Bluesky experienced similar growth in Japan and Brazil earlier in the year.
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