Moving to Bluesky: Discovering a Greener Experience

By this point, you’ve probably heard about Bluesky, the emerging competitor to X (previously Twitter). I’m not typically one to leap at new social media platforms, but my switch to Bluesky has proven that the environment here is indeed more vibrant.

Crafted by Twitter’s Ex-CEO

Having experimented with several social media platforms, I’ve always appreciated Twitter’s unique layout. It was intuitive for short posts, easy-to-manage lists, and straightforward private communication with friends and followers. Although Elon Musk has maintained a similar interface, it feels significantly altered.

Fortunately, Jack Dorsey, the former leader of Twitter, designed Bluesky to mirror the classic Twitter experience I cherished. Unlike alternatives such as Mastodon and Threads, Bluesky is user-friendly with no steep learning curve. If you’re familiar with Twitter, transitioning to Bluesky is a breeze.

A Friendlier, Better-Moderated Environment

I had a fondness for Twitter in its pre-Musk days. Admittedly, it faced its share of problems like any social network, but hate speech, misinformation, and harassment were usually dealt with promptly. While I staunchly believe in free speech, it’s refreshing to be in a community where toxic behavior is less accepted.

For instance, I witnessed a user making an offensive comment about Kamala Harris prior to the election. On X, such remarks might have been cheered on, but on Bluesky, the individual was quickly met with corrective replies highlighting the inappropriateness of their statement. Responses came from both Harris and Trump supporters, which was encouraging to see.

When I later tried to view the offender’s profile, it had been removed. Much like Reddit’s community-driven approach to expelling troublesome users, it seems Bluesky foster a more civil discourse. Conversations remain respectful, even among differing opinions. While this might evolve as user numbers increase, I genuinely hope it retains this respectful atmosphere.

Meaningful Recommendations Tailored for Me

Am I the only one who finds the recommendations on X’s For You feed completely off-target? In the past year, it has become increasingly irrelevant. I typically follow weather updates, adorable animals, and tech news, yet my feed is inundated with political news, sports, and outrageous viral clips.

I can’t understand how that happens. It feels counterintuitive and only hampers my chances of discovering new accounts to engage with—something X could certainly improve upon after witnessing over 700,000 users leave for Bluesky following the 2024 election.

I was pleasantly surprised to find that Bluesky’s Discover feed offers spot-on recommendations, allowing me to uncover numerous accounts that align with my interests rather than irrelevant content.

A Refreshing Ad-Free Experience

X bombards me with more advertisements than actual posts. Even for subscribers, ads are still present in two of the three premium plans, making one question the value. In contrast to Musk’s profit-driven approach, Bluesky currently maintains an ad-free environment—thanks to substantial funding from various investment rounds.

Additionally, the platform is developing subscription tiers that aim to reduce or eliminate the necessity for ads, focusing more on providing users with enhanced features like customization options rather than amplifying visibility.

Empowering Users Through Decentralization

Bluesky operates under the decentralized AT protocol, a contender to ActivityPub, granting users the ability to build independent communities within one open-source ecosystem. In February 2024, the network opened up early access to federation, allowing users to craft self-hosted environments and transfer their account information and followers from Bluesky. Presently, this process is one-directional.

It’s reassuring to know that your data belongs to you, and that you hold the power to move your presence as you see fit—unlike X, which utilizes user data for AI training purposes.

Discover New Accounts with Starter Packs

Back when I first joined Twitter, I had the option to follow popular accounts right away. Bluesky offers a twist on this with their Starter Packs, along with a Feeds feature to assist users in finding relevant accounts.

These Starter Packs consist of curated collections of related accounts that anyone can create and share. Once made, they appear on your profile. I’ve noticed Starter Packs catering to various fields, including journalism, technology, gaming, environmental topics, and more.

Room for Improvement

Despite my enthusiasm for Bluesky, I acknowledge that the platform is still evolving. I joined just before public access was available, witnessing a surge in users, which significantly enriched the community. As of February 2024, there were approximately three million users, and now more than 21 million users are on board, with a real-time user growth counter available for viewing.

While not a concern for me, many prefer keeping their profiles private to share updates exclusively with their followers. Currently, Bluesky lacks this feature. While some may find privacy on X, it’s worth noting that user data is still exploited in dubious ways.

A significant hurdle remains for former X users, who are apprehensive about losing their existing followers in transition. Personally, I’ve struggled to locate favorite accounts on Bluesky. Recently, I’ve observed a trend of users maintaining activity on both platforms as they cultivate their new followings on Bluesky.

Is It Time to Transition to Bluesky?

On a lighter note, the logo features a charming butterfly as opposed to the stark letter X, which feels much more inviting—surely that alone makes it worth considering!

If you’re in search of a Twitter alternative that is familiar and user-friendly, my recommendation is to give Bluesky a chance. There’s no obligation to delete your X account; you can maintain both as I do, although my engagement time has shifted predominantly towards Bluesky.

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