Bluesky introduces custom algorithm feeds as an alternative option

Bluesky has started rolling out alternative feeds that employ custom algorithms.

By: HT TECH
| Updated on: May 27 2023, 10:52 IST
In Pics: Your Twitter has been changed forever by Elon Musk
Twitter
1/7 Twitter top officials fired: As soon as Musk took over Twitter, he fired the top executives including CEO Parag Agrawal, CFO Ned Segal, legal affairs and policy chief Vijaya Gadde. That was the first decision taken by Musk at Twitter. On Friday, Twitter also laid off 50 percent of its employees and Musk defended the step by saying that this is being done in an effort to place Twitter on a profitable path. (AFP)
Twitter
2/7 Charges for Blue Tick: Twitter users who want a verified account will now have to pay charges for the same as Twitter will now charge $8 for Blue Tick. Musk supported the decision by posting a number of tweets regarding the same. He believes the subscription fee will give Twitter 'a revenue stream to reward content creators' while the company will not have to depend on advertisers. (REUTERS)
Elon Musk
3/7 Twitter Content Moderation Council: Twitter will set up a content moderation council with widely diverse viewpoints. The council will be accountable for all main content-related decisions. (AFP)
Twitter
4/7 Advertisers: General Motors, General Mills, Audi of America, Oreo maker Mondelez International, Pfizer Inc and Ford are some of the corporate companies who have distanced themselves from Twitter. Several advertisers have suspended ad spending on Twitter altogether. (REUTERS)
Elon Musk
5/7 Changes to Twitter's homepage: Musk requested that users who have logged out of Twitter and visit the homepage of Twitter's site to be redirected to the Explore page which shows trending tweets and news stories, according to a report by Verge. (REUTERS)
Twitter
6/7 Vine: Musk put up a poll on Twitter asking people if he should bring back Vine. (AP)
Twitter
7/7 Removal of Days of Rest: Days of Rest has been removed from the calendars of the Twitter employees. It can be known that the Days of Rest refers to the monthly days off to let employees rest and recharge. (AP)
BlueSky Social
View all Images
BlueSky Social is an alternative to Twitter that was founded by Jack Dorsey. (Bloomberg)

Bluesky, the new social network founded by Jack Dorsey, co-founder of Twitter, initially focused on providing users with content from the people they follow. However, in a new development, Bluesky has started rolling out alternative feeds that employ custom algorithms.

The newly introduced feature, known as "My Feeds," allows users to pin alternative feeds to their Bluesky homepage, functioning similarly to Twitter lists. This enables users to have distinct timelines for specific content categories. By default, four feeds are available: "What's Hot" (showcasing the top trending content), "Popular With Friends" (featuring posts liked by friends), "Bluesky Team" (including content from the Bluesky developers), and "What's Hot Classic" (which offers the original "What's Hot" experience from the initial release). Additionally, users can search for more feeds that align with their individual interests. These feeds can be accessed at any time, even without pinning them to the homepage, The Verge reports.

Examples of existing feeds include ones displaying content solely from followed accounts (excluding likes and reposts), cat pictures, technology-focused content, and games. While most social networks typically impose their algorithms on users, Bluesky is allowing users to curate their own content experience.

Despite the recent addition of content moderation, Bluesky is still in the beta phase. The exact timeline for when Bluesky will become available to the general public remains uncertain. However, the Bluesky team has been actively facilitating invitations for current users to invite others and create new accounts.

Notably, Dorsey left Twitter, which was subsequently bought by Tesla owner Elon Musk. While Bluesky is much like Twitter, however, the theme is totally open source. That means Bluesky subscribers can tailor their accounts and preferences as per their requirements in any fanciful way. On Twitter that is not possible, the subscriber is chained to the Twitter system that brooks no changes to the templates provided by it.

Follow HT Tech for the latest tech news and reviews , also keep up with us on Twitter, Facebook, Google News, and Instagram. For our latest videos, subscribe to our YouTube channel.

First Published Date: 27 May, 10:52 IST
NEXT ARTICLE BEGINS