# Bluesky

> American social networking service

**Wikidata**: [Q78194383](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q78194383)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bluesky)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/bluesky

## Summary

Bluesky is a software application established in 2021[1]. It was developed as a decentralized social media initiative aimed at creating an open and user-controlled networking platform.The project emerged during a period of growing interest in alternatives to centralized social media systems[1].

## Summary
Bluesky is an American social networking service built on the decentralized AT Protocol, designed to enable open, interoperable microblogging. Originally founded by Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey in 2021, it transitioned from an invite-only beta to public access in February 2024. Its core mission is to create a more transparent and user-controlled alternative to traditional centralized platforms.

## Key Facts
- Founded in 2021 by Jack Dorsey under Bluesky Social PBC.
- Operates using the custom AT Protocol, enabling federation and decentralization.
- Became publicly accessible without invites starting February 6, 2024.
- As of May 2025, had over 35 million registered users.
- Runs under the MIT License; developed by Bluesky Social PBC based in Seattle, Washington.
- Official app version as of June 2024 was 1.87.0.
- Maintains verified accounts such as `bsky.app` and `support.bsky.team`.

## FAQs
### Q: What is Bluesky used for?
A: Bluesky is a microblogging platform that allows users to share short posts, interact through likes and replies, and follow others—similar to Twitter/X but built on a decentralized protocol called AT Protocol.

### Q: Who created Bluesky?
A: Bluesky was initiated by Jack Dorsey, former CEO of Twitter, and is operated by Bluesky Social PBC, which he helped establish.

### Q: Is Bluesky free to use?
A: Yes, Bluesky is free to use. It does not require payment or subscription fees for standard features.

## Why It Matters
Bluesky represents a significant shift toward decentralized social media infrastructure. By leveraging the AT Protocol, it aims to reduce reliance on single-platform monopolies and promote user ownership of data and identity. Unlike traditional networks, Bluesky supports interoperability between servers and gives developers and users more control. This approach addresses growing concerns around censorship, data misuse, and algorithm opacity in mainstream platforms. With millions of active users and increasing adoption among tech-forward communities, Bluesky plays a pioneering role in shaping the next generation of online communication tools.

## Notable For
- Being one of the first major implementations of the AT Protocol for decentralized social networking.
- Transitioning from a closed beta to full public access within three years of inception.
- Having over 35 million registered users by mid-2025 despite operating outside mainstream social ecosystems.
- Introducing verified handles and DID-based identities (`did:plc`) for secure account portability.
- Publishing all code under the permissive MIT License, encouraging open-source development and reuse.

## Body
### Overview
Bluesky is a distributed social network focused on providing a decentralized alternative to legacy platforms like Twitter. Developed under the umbrella of Bluesky Social PBC, it launched with limited access before opening broadly in early 2024. The platform emphasizes transparency, user autonomy, and technical openness via its underlying AT Protocol.

### Development & Technical Foundation
The service utilizes the Authenticated Transfer (AT) Protocol, a decentralized framework allowing independent nodes to interoperate while maintaining shared standards. This architecture enables cross-server interactions and user-owned identifiers known as Decentralized Identifiers (DIDs).

Key technical properties include:
- **Protocol**: AT Protocol (reference: arXiv:2402.03239)
- **License**: MIT License (GitHub repo reference: bluesky-social/social-app)
- **Client Version**: Latest stable release is v1.87.0 (released June 26, 2024)
- **Source Code Repository**: Hosted on GitHub under organization bluesky-social

### Organizational Structure
Bluesky Social PBC operates as the primary steward of the project. Based in Seattle, Washington, the company oversees product development, governance, and outreach efforts.

Notable personnel:
- **Founder**: Jack Dorsey
- **CTO**: Paul Frazee

### User Growth & Engagement
Bluesky experienced rapid growth following its public launch:
- Registered users surpassed 35.6 million by May 9, 2025.
- Peak follower count on Twitter reached over 436,000 by November 2024.
- Platform activity tracked via third-party analytics including bsky.jazco.dev and bcounter.nat.vg.

### Accessibility & Reach
Since removing its invite system on February 6, 2024, Bluesky has maintained unrestricted access. It offers multilingual support and maintains presences across various platforms:
- **Website**: https://bsky.app/
- **Twitter/X Handle**: @bluesky (since Nov 2019)
- **Instagram**: bluesky_social
- **Threads**: bluesky_social
- **Subreddit**: r/BlueskySocial (launched Oct 2022)

### Brand Identity
Visual branding evolved significantly during its early lifecycle:
- Logo updated from butterfly design (Dec 21, 2023) to current SVG format introduced Feb 5, 2024.
- Iconography and visual assets are hosted on Wikimedia Commons.

### Legal & Governance
Bluesky adheres to clear legal frameworks:
- **Terms of Service**: https://bsky.social/about/support/tos
- **Privacy Policy**: https://blueskyweb.xyz/support/privacy-policy
- **FAQ Page**: https://bsky.social/about/faq

These documents were last materially revised in May 2024.

## References

1. [Source](https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-08-16/twitter-ceo-jack-dorsey-s-bluesky-project-hires-jay-graber)
2. [bluesky_media_kit_logo_svgs.svg. 2024](https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1RDpuQOQMfM9mXQ61wUYWNZUbgvDc8r-n)
3. [A New Look for Bluesky: The Social Butterfly. 2023](https://blueskyweb.org/blog/12-21-2023-butterfly)
4. [Source](https://api.github.com/repos/bluesky-social/social-app)
5. [Release 1.72.0. 2024](https://github.com/bluesky-social/social-app/releases/tag/1.72.0)
6. [Release 1.77.0. 2024](https://github.com/bluesky-social/social-app/releases/tag/1.77.0)
7. [Release 1.81.0. 2024](https://github.com/bluesky-social/social-app/releases/tag/1.81.0)
8. [Release 1.82.0. 2024](https://github.com/bluesky-social/social-app/releases/tag/1.82.0)
9. [Release 1.83.0. 2024](https://github.com/bluesky-social/social-app/releases/tag/1.83.0)
10. [Release 1.84.0. 2024](https://github.com/bluesky-social/social-app/releases/tag/1.84.0)
11. [Release 1.85.0. 2024](https://github.com/bluesky-social/social-app/releases/tag/1.85.0)
12. [Release 1.85.1. 2024](https://github.com/bluesky-social/social-app/releases/tag/1.85.1)
13. [Release 1.86.0. 2024](https://github.com/bluesky-social/social-app/releases/tag/1.86.0)
14. [Release 1.87.0. 2024](https://github.com/bluesky-social/social-app/releases/tag/1.87.0)
15. [Release 1.88.0. 2024](https://github.com/bluesky-social/social-app/releases/tag/1.88.0)
16. [Release 1.89.0. 2024](https://github.com/bluesky-social/social-app/releases/tag/1.89.0)
17. [Release 1.90.1. 2024](https://github.com/bluesky-social/social-app/releases/tag/1.90.1)
18. [Release 1.91.0. 2024](https://github.com/bluesky-social/social-app/releases/tag/1.91.0)
19. [Release 1.91.1. 2024](https://github.com/bluesky-social/social-app/releases/tag/1.91.1)
20. [Release 1.91.2. 2024](https://github.com/bluesky-social/social-app/releases/tag/1.91.2)
21. [Release 1.92.0. 2024](https://github.com/bluesky-social/social-app/releases/tag/1.92.0)
22. [Release 1.92.1. 2024](https://github.com/bluesky-social/social-app/releases/tag/1.92.1)
23. [Release 1.93.0. 2024](https://github.com/bluesky-social/social-app/releases/tag/1.93.0)
24. [Release 1.94.0. 2024](https://github.com/bluesky-social/social-app/releases/tag/1.94.0)
25. [Release 1.95.0. 2024](https://github.com/bluesky-social/social-app/releases/tag/1.95.0)
26. [Release 1.96.0. 2024](https://github.com/bluesky-social/social-app/releases/tag/1.96.0)
27. [Release 1.96.2. 2024](https://github.com/bluesky-social/social-app/releases/tag/1.96.2)
28. [Release 1.96.3. 2025](https://github.com/bluesky-social/social-app/releases/tag/1.96.3)
29. [Release 1.96.4. 2025](https://github.com/bluesky-social/social-app/releases/tag/1.96.4)
30. [Release 1.96.5. 2025](https://github.com/bluesky-social/social-app/releases/tag/1.96.5)
31. [Release 1.96.6. 2025](https://github.com/bluesky-social/social-app/releases/tag/1.96.6)
32. [Release 1.96.7. 2025](https://github.com/bluesky-social/social-app/releases/tag/1.96.7)
33. [Release 1.97.0. 2025](https://github.com/bluesky-social/social-app/releases/tag/1.97.0)
34. [Release 1.98.0. 2025](https://github.com/bluesky-social/social-app/releases/tag/1.98.0)
35. [Release 1.99.0. 2025](https://github.com/bluesky-social/social-app/releases/tag/1.99.0)
36. [Release 1.100.0. 2025](https://github.com/bluesky-social/social-app/releases/tag/1.100.0)
37. [Release 1.101.0. 2025](https://github.com/bluesky-social/social-app/releases/tag/1.101.0)
38. [Release 1.102.0. 2025](https://github.com/bluesky-social/social-app/releases/tag/1.102.0)
39. [Release 1.103.0. 2025](https://github.com/bluesky-social/social-app/releases/tag/1.103.0)
40. [Release 1.104.0. 2025](https://github.com/bluesky-social/social-app/releases/tag/1.104.0)
41. [Source](https://icis.corp.delaware.gov/Ecorp/EntitySearch/NameSearch.aspx)
42. [Discover — Bluesky](https://bsky.app/)
43. [Source](https://bsky.social/about/support/tos)
44. [Bluesky Post Count and Author Stats](https://bsky.jazco.dev/stats)
45. [Source](https://bcounter.nat.vg/)
46. [Source](https://arxiv.org/abs/2402.03239)
47. [Source](https://ftp.arin.net/pub/resource_registry_service/asns.csv)
48. [Bluesky is ready to open up. 2024](https://www.theverge.com/2024/2/6/24062837/bluesky-drops-invite-system-begins-federation-at-protocol)
49. [Source](https://clearsky.app/support.bsky.team/history)
50. Know Your Meme