Butterfly opens up: Bluesky, the decentralised alternative to Twitter, has released new features and design changes to improve its user experience and visibility. According to a recent blog posted by Jay Graber, CEO of Bluesky, users no longer need to be logged in to access posts on the platform.

“Like a butterfly emerging from its chrysalis, we are starting to open up,” Jay Graber.

This move is part of Bluesky's broader strategy to promote openness, with content now accessible both via its web interface and the Bluesky app. While users have the option to toggle a setting discouraging visibility to non-logged-in users, Graber clarifies that this does not make their accounts private across all platforms.

What is Bluesky?

Bluesky is a decentralised social media platform designed as an alternative to Twitter. Founded to increase openness and user empowerment, Bluesky operates on its proprietary AT Protocol which allows users greater control over their content and interactions and creates a more transparent and community-driven social networking environment.

Despite its decentralised nature, Bluesky aims to maintain accessibility and ease of use, offering features that align with modern social media expectations while promoting user privacy and data ownership.

Here are some of the unique value propositions that Bluesky offers:

User-controlled platform structure
Greater autonomy over content and engagement
Customisable visibility settings
Users retain control of their data
Potential for user-driven feature development

New ‘butterfly’ logo

Bluesky has also updated its logo, replacing the earlier blue sky and clouds motif with a butterfly design. Graber shared the details of why this change in the platform was made. Graber said,

“A butterfly is a symbol of change and transformation. Early on, we noticed that people were organically using the butterfly emoji 🦋 to indicate their Bluesky handles. We loved it and adopted it as it spread. The butterfly speaks to our mission of transforming social media into something new.”

This redesign includes an animated feature, drawing parallels to functionalities familiar to Twitter enthusiasts.

Despite concerns about its proprietary AT Protocol, Bluesky appears to be gaining traction and building an engaging community. With the rise of ActivityPub and other decentralised social networks, the challenge remains for Bluesky to carve its niche.

Bluesky is a decentralised social media platform designed as an alternative to Twitter.

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