Bluesky Is The Latest OnLine Buzz

Bluesky, the decentralized Twitter clone is in beta, and invites are scarce. And you need an invited to join.    Twitter is full of people asking others for Bluesky access codes to avoid being put on a waitlist.

NBC News reports tt's become the latest platform to be described as a potential Twitter replacement for some following Elon Musk’s takeover of the social media app.

While Bluesky's beta was made public in February, buzz surrounding the platform grew in April as more Twitter users began posting about flocking there. As of Friday, politicians such as Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., and celebrities such as Chrissy Teigen had joined the platform.

Here's what to know about the platform some are describing as the next Twitter.

The idea for Bluesky originated at Twitter in 2019, but it became its own public benefit company in 2022 — with backing from former Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey.

Dorsey, who co-founded Twitter in 2006 and stepped down as chief executive in 2021, now serves on the board for Bluesky.  Although the Bluesky app has many similarities to Twitter, its key difference is that it is organized around a decentralized system. That means user data can be stored on independent servers rather than ones owned by the company, and that in the future, users will be able to develop their own servers that they can use with communities of their choosing.

The platform allows users to post text and images to a central feed, follow other users, and repost (similar to a retweet). The look and feel is nearly identical to Twitter, and people’s feeds are already filled with memes and jokes. Users do not have the ability to direct message each other or block others — at least not yet.

Posts, or “skeets” as some have taken to calling them on Bluesky, are limited to 300 characters. There are currently no video capabilities, but users can post images.

At the moment, the best way to get on Bluesky is to beg.  Bluesky began letting people off its waitlist this year and has been rolling out invites in waves.  Bluesky has yet to announce a date for widespread public release.