Bluesky, the independent social media initiative funded by Twitter, made headlines in 2019 when Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey announced plans to create an open-source, decentralized social media protocol. The goal of the project was to create a new kind of social media that would be more transparent, secure, and open to innovation. However, recent reports suggest that Bluesky is struggling to make progress and is repeating the mistakes of its parent company, Twitter.

The Background:

Twitter has been in the news recently due to controversies surrounding its content moderation policies, including the banning of former US President Donald Trump from the platform. This has led to criticism from some who argue that Twitter is infringing on free speech rights. Additionally, Twitter has faced criticism for its failure to adequately address harassment and hate speech on its platform.

Bluesky was created as a response to these criticisms. The goal was to create a new kind of social media that would be decentralized and more open to innovation. The project is being led by Twitter’s former Chief Technology Officer, Parag Agrawal, and is funded by Twitter.

However, recent reports suggest that Bluesky is struggling to make progress. According to sources familiar with the project, Bluesky has yet to develop a working prototype, and the team has struggled to agree on a clear vision for the project.

Mistakes Repeated:

Bluesky’s struggles are reminiscent of Twitter’s own missteps. One of Twitter’s most significant challenges has been its failure to address harassment and hate speech on the platform. Despite numerous efforts to address the issue, Twitter has been criticized for being slow to act and for failing to effectively enforce its own policies.

Bluesky appears to be making similar mistakes. According to sources, the team has yet to agree on a clear vision for the project, and there is no clear roadmap for how the project will be developed. Additionally, there are concerns that the project may be too ambitious and that it may be difficult to implement in practice.

Bluesky’s struggles are a reminder of the challenges that come with trying to create a new kind of social media. Twitter’s own experience shows that these challenges are not easy to overcome, and that even well-funded and well-intentioned projects can struggle to succeed.

Conclusion:

Bluesky was created as a response to the criticisms that Twitter has faced over the years. The project aimed to create a new kind of social media that would be more transparent, secure, and open to innovation. However, recent reports suggest that the project is struggling to make progress, and that the team has yet to agree on a clear vision for the project.

Bluesky’s struggles are reminiscent of Twitter’s own missteps, particularly its failure to address harassment and hate speech on the platform. The challenges that Bluesky faces are a reminder of the difficulties of creating a new kind of social media, and that even well-funded and well-intentioned projects can struggle to succeed. Only time will tell whether Bluesky will be able to overcome these challenges and succeed in creating a new kind of social media.