Unveiling Bluesky: A Controversial Turn in the World of Decentralized Social Media
Social media platform Bluesky succumbs to censorship pressures in Turkey, yet exploits a potential loophole in their compliance.
Embroiled in a censorship scandal, Bluesky - an alternative to X that promises a social media experience free from the clutches of an egomaniacal billionaire - is currently under scrutiny. Significant concerns were raised this week when it was discovered that the platform succumbed to demands from the Turkish government, a move that contradicts Bluesky's philosophy of a free and open social media experience.
According to TechCrunch, Bluesky has restricted access to 72 accounts in Turkey following intense pressure from the government. The Turkish authorities claimed these accounts posed a threat to "national security and public order", and Bluesky complied with their demands. The Freedom of Expression Association, a Turkish NGO that champions civil liberties, initially reported this censorship.
The details surrounding the account operators and the reasons that triggered this governmental pressure remain scant. When approached for comment, Bluesky kept mum.
Despite Bluesky's temporary lockdown of these Turkish users, a potential loophole exists due to its integration with the Fediverse and the AT Protocol. Because Bluesky is part of a semi-decentralized ecosystem, these same protocols power a constellation of other sites collectively known as "the Atmosphere". Sites such as Skywalker, Skeets, and Roomy provide smoker-proof pathways for the censored users to continue their digital journey under the radar.
Incepted by Jack Dorsey, former Twitter guru, Bluesky was nurtured with $13 million from Twitter. Initially conceived when Jack was still leading Twitter, Dorsey notably stepped away, leaving the company under the guidance of CEO Jay Graber.
With Elon Musk taking over Twitter and turning it into a propaganda vehicle, the mass exodus to Bluesky has been noticeable. For quite some time, Bluesky has been able to maintain its reputation as a respectable alternative to the murky waters of X. However, Bluesky's concession to placate foreign censorship fares poorly, compromising the company’s image, even with its feasible measure to bypass censorship that other platforms lack.
- Gizmodo reported on the controversy surrounding Bluesky, a platform billed as an alternative to X, promising a social media experience free from censorship.
- TechCrunch revealed that Bluesky restricted access to 72 accounts in Turkey after government pressure, a move criticized for contradicting Bluesky's philosophies.
- The Freedom of Expression Association, a Turkish NGO, initially reported this censorship incident on social-media.
- The details about the account operators and the reasons for government pressure are still sparse, as Bluesky has declined to comment on the matter.
- Despite the temporary lockdown of Turkish users on Bluesky, the platform's integration with the Fediverse and the AT Protocol has created a loophole, allowing some censored users to migrate to and continue their digital journeys on sites like Skywalker, Skeets, and Roomy.
- Bluesky was originally incubated by Jack Dorsey, former CEO of Twitter, who provided $13 million in funding, and Jay Graber now leads the company.
- As Elon Musk turned Twitter into a platform for propaganda, causing a mass exodus, Bluesky has managed to maintain its reputation as a respectable alternative to Twitter, albeit compromised by its compliance with foreign censorship demands, a move that puts its position in the tech, politics, entertainment, and general-news market at risk.