Bluesky Introduces New Features to Give Users More Control Over Social Media Interactions

Bluesky, a social network, is set to give its users more control over who can reply to their posts. According to Bluesky developer Paul Frazee, the platform will introduce a new "followers only" setting that users can configure to limit replies. Additionally, Frazee announced that Bluesky will create a way for users to set their default reply settings.

Enhancing User Control and Differentiation

These changes aim to further differentiate Bluesky from its largest competitors, Elon Musk’s X and Meta’s Threads. By introducing a "followers only" setting, Bluesky will provide users with more flexibility and control over their social media interactions.

Comparison with Competitors

On X, users can choose between a set of reply controls, including "Everyone," "Accounts you follow," "Verified accounts," and "Only accounts you mention." Users can also post to specific Communities they’re a member of, which limits their reach. In contrast, on Threads, users can pick between "Anyone," "Profiles you follow," and "Mentioned only."

Bluesky’s Current Settings

Bluesky has so far adopted a similar set of settings as its rivals, allowing users to limit replies to their posts to "Everybody," "Nobody," "Mentioned Users," and "Followed Users." However, the introduction of a "followers only" setting will provide users with a new option to limit replies to only their followers.

Benefits of the New Feature

Offering a "followers only" reply option is a new twist that Frazee believes could help make "going viral less intense" while also reducing "context collapse." Context collapse refers to when a viral post expands its reach far beyond the original target audience, leading to misunderstandings or confusion.

Key Points

• The "followers only" setting will only limit who can respond to a post, not who can view it.
• The feature has been suggested by Bluesky users for some time.
• Frazee was discussing a followers option with a user in December 2023.
• The underlying AT Protocol that powers Bluesky will be upgraded to support the feature further down the road.