Rose Wang says Bluesky is so much more than an X clone

As social media undergoes a major shift, Bluesky, a decentralized platform, is gaining traction as dissatisfaction with established platforms grows. Bluesky's COO, Rose Wang, emphasizes that the platform is not an X clone but a key player in the decentralized social web, prioritizing personal connections, data privacy, and democratization. Despite a surge in users after recent events, Bluesky was prepared for the influx and has managed it effectively. Users are leaving other platforms due to dissatisfaction with dark patterns and a lack of personal connection and safety. Unlike X, Bluesky offers open infrastructure and user choice, with a non-dominant algorithm and over 50,000 custom feeds created by users. This promotes smaller, cozier communities and allows users to control their experiences. While Bluesky has become a liberal refuge, Wang emphasizes that it's not a platform for any specific political viewpoint. Communities on Bluesky help foster adjacent viewpoints in a safer environment compared to echo chambers. The platform's business model is based on subscriptions, with no core features behind a paywall. It also plans to support creators by providing a payments network that facilitates transactions between users. Bluesky's focus is on independent creators, journalists, and entrepreneurs who seek to build online presence. It aims to break down dark patterns that hinder linking out and empowers users to own their relationships with communities.