Key facts
- Bluesky has launched a new feature that allows users to opt out of the app's algorithmic Discover feed.
- The feature is designed to prevent users' posts from going viral and reaching wider audiences.
- This setting is applied at the account level and is compatible with the AT Proto protocol.
- Users can enable the opt-out by adjusting settings in the Privacy and Security section.
Bluesky, an open social network, has introduced a new feature that allows users to opt out of its algorithmic Discover feed. This change, implemented on Thursday, means users can prevent their posts from being surfaced to a wider audience beyond their personal network.
The company stated that the feature was developed because not all users desire viral exposure; some prefer to share content solely with their followers. While posts on Bluesky are public by default, this new setting makes them less discoverable to those outside an individual's existing network. It is important to note that this is not a privacy feature to make posts private, as Bluesky is still developing protocol-level support for private data.
The algorithmic opt-out preference is recorded at the account level, meaning it can travel with the user to other applications built on the same underlying AT Proto protocol. However, the effectiveness of this setting depends on whether those other applications choose to respect it.