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from the a-discussion-on-protocols dept
When 1,700 people pack a room at SXSW (with hundreds more relegated to overflow spaces) to hear about a decentralized social media protocol, it’s clear something interesting is happening. The crowd that showed up for my conversation with Bluesky CEO Jay Graber this week wasn’t just there for another social media platform — they were there because they’re hungry for an alternative to billionaire-controlled (and manipulated) digital spaces.
As a reminder, I’m on the board at Bluesky, so I’m biased. However, I did try to ask Jay many of the questions I frequently hear about Bluesky, including why it’s different than other social media companies, how it thinks about content moderation and toxicity, and whether or not it’s really “billionaire proof” as the company claims (I prefer “billionaire resistant.”)
The full video and audio are both online if you want to listen.
The crux of the argument for Bluesky — and the whole reason I proposed the idea that later became Bluesky — was exactly this: to give more choice to everyone. To push the power to the ends of the network, rather than hoarding it in the middle where it can be used to manipulate and control. As Jay notes during the talk, it’s about giving everyone the ability to “choose your own adventure” on social media, enabling more pro-social outcomes.
This isn’t just theoretical anymore. While major platforms continue their descent into “enshittification,” Bluesky is demonstrating that there’s a real appetite for putting user choice and empowerment first. The millions of people already using the service aren’t just passive consumers — they’re actively engaging with and building upon the underlying ATprotocol, creating new experiences and tools without asking anyone’s permission, and without being controlled by anyone.
And while there’s still a ways to go to get fully to that point, I think that Jay and her team have made amazing strides towards that vision, and we’re seeing lots of other efforts to build towards that vision as well — exactly the kind of permissionless innovation the ATprotocol was designed to enable.
Filed Under: atprotocol, jay graber, protocols, protocols not platforms, user choice
Companies: bluesky
- Empowering Users, Not Overlords: Overcoming Digital Helplessness
- Ctrl-Alt-Speech: The TickTock On TikTok
- The Technological Poison Pill: How ATProtocol Encourages Competition, Resists Evil Billionaires, Lock-In & Enshittification
- Some (Slightly Biased) Thoughts On The State Of Decentralized Social Media
- Why I’m Joining The Bluesky Board To Support A Vision Of A More Open, Decentralized Internet
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