Bluesky adds an algorithmic opt-out feature for posts
Bluesky introduces a new algorithmic opt-out feature allowing users to prevent their posts from appearing in the main Discover feed.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
- Bluesky launched an algorithmic opt-out feature to hide posts from the Discover feed.
- Posts on the network are public by default and can surface in the main algorithmic feed.
- Users can toggle the option in Privacy and Security settings, which takes up to an hour to apply.
- The preference is saved at the account level and extends to other apps built on AT Proto.
Following the rollout of support for longer videos just a day prior, open social network Bluesky introduced a brand-new algorithmic opt-out feature on Thursday, giving members a way to block their posts from showing up in the app’s main Discover feed.
That specific algorithmic feed is currently capable of surfacing any post across the Bluesky network, given that posts on the platform are configured as public by default.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
According to the company, the feature was developed because not every individual using the social media site has a desire to go viral. On various occasions, people simply want to share content strictly with their followers without exposing their words to massive crowds of strangers.
Bluesky's implementation of algorithmic control highlights a shifting paradigm toward user agency in modern social networking. Unlike legacy platforms that optimize purely for maximum engagement and viral reach, giving users a direct switch to opt out of recommendation algorithms addresses growing fatigue around unwanted exposure and online scrutiny. It respects the original intent of micro-sharing within a closed community rather than forcing every thought into the public spotlight.
To successfully opt out of having posts featured in the Discover feed, users can simply toggle on the new setting located within the application’s Privacy and Security settings menu. The company notes that this adjustment can take up to an hour to fully take effect across the network.
Another notable aspect is that Bluesky’s execution of this privacy feature reaches far beyond its proprietary application.
Rather than functioning merely as a localized preference inside the Bluesky app, the setting is recorded directly at the account level. This means the user's preference travels with them, even when they publish posts from alternative applications powered by the exact same underlying decentralized protocol, AT Proto.
Nevertheless, while those third-party applications gain access to this setting data, they retain the ultimate choice of whether or not to respect the user's preference.
Source: TechCrunch
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