You can now dislike posts on Bluesky
What's the story
Bluesky, the decentralized social media network, has announced a major milestone: it now has 40 million users. The company has also unveiled plans to introduce a "dislikes" feature in beta testing. This new addition is aimed at improving the personalization on its main Discover feed and other areas of the platform.
Feature details
How will the 'dislikes' feature work?
The "dislikes" feature will be used by Bluesky to improve user personalization. As users start disliking posts, the platform's system will learn what content they want less of. This information will not only influence how content is ranked in feeds but also reply rankings. The company hopes these changes will make Bluesky a platform for more "fun, genuine, and respectful exchanges."
Moderation tools
Bluesky's approach to moderation
Despite being a decentralized network where users manage their own moderation, some Bluesky users have criticized the platform for its moderation decisions. They want the platform itself to ban bad actors and controversial figures instead of leaving it up to individual users. However, Bluesky is focusing more on providing tools for users to control their own experience. These include moderation lists, content filter controls, muted words, and subscriptions to other moderation service providers.
Feature enhancements
Changes to 'social neighborhoods'
Along with the "dislikes" feature, Bluesky is also testing a combination of ranking updates, design changes, and other feedback tools. These are aimed at improving conversations on its network. One such system will map out the "social neighborhoods" on Bluesky - the connections between people who interact and reply to one another frequently. The company says it is prioritizing replies from people "closer to your neighborhood," making the conversations in your feed more relevant and familiar.
Model upgrade
New reply button encourages users to read before responding
Bluesky's latest model is better at detecting replies that are "toxic, spammy, off-topic, or posted in bad faith," and downranks these in threads, search results, and notifications. The company is also changing the Reply button to take users to the full thread instead of directly into the compose screen. This way, users are encouraged to read the thread before responding - a move aimed at reducing content collapse and redundant replies.