Bluesky Social - The Next Twitter

If you're looking for a new place to share cat and dog photos, selfies and joke memes online, you might be thinking of joining Bluesky Social. This app that some call "the next Twitter" is getting a lot of attention. But what is it, exactly, and how does it work?

Initially started as a side project at Twitter, Bluesky became its own public benefit corporation in 2021 and got a lot of backing from the founder of that company, former Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey. The idea is to create a text-first, decentralized network that doesn't depend on a single entity like Twitter, or even its parent company, to function. It aims to offer what's called portability, meaning you can take your content, connections and identity from one community to another.

Right now, the app is only available by invitation, and that's a big part of its appeal. Twitter influencers, media people and politicians have all been flocking to the app lately, as have a lot of other users who seem excited to be able to join in on the fun.

The app is a bit like old Twitter in that it has a very stripped-down interface. It has timelines arranged in chronological order and allows you to post text or pictures (no DMs or video yet). There are three different tabs: What's Hot, Search and Notifications. There are also various feeds you can add, including some that have a specific theme (such as a picture of a cute cat or dog) and others categorized by language or topic.

There's already a good amount of political Bluesky discourse on the platform, and there are some pretty high-profile posters, from film director Edgar Wright to US Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. But the app is eerily similar to early Twitter in that it seems more interested in low-stakes, mostly fun postings.

A lot of this could change if the platform is successful at attracting a wider audience. But it's still too early to tell whether it will have a lasting impact on the way we use social media. One thing's for sure: Bluesky will be very interesting to watch over the coming weeks and months.

This article originally appeared on TechCrunch, written by Sarah Perez.

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This article was originally published March 19, 2019. It has since been updated.
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