Bluesky Introduces New ‘Communities’ Feature

Bluesky is set to introduce “communities” this year, offering users smaller spaces to connect with others who share similar interests, as shared by head of product Alex Benzer. These communities will be built on the decentralized AT Protocol that powers Bluesky, with Benzer describing it as “a new structure for everyone” within the “Atmosphere,” which refers to the AT Protocol ecosystem.

In a recent thread, Benzer outlined some initial ideas for these communities. He mentioned that users will have the ability to create and join communities, post content, and receive updates. The core features of Bluesky will remain straightforward, but the real innovation lies in the fact that these communities will also exist on the open web, allowing for extensive customization and integration with other Atmospheric apps and tools.

Each community will have a unique handle that serves as a URL, leading to a custom homepage for that community. Builders will also have the option to create a completely tailored experience. Communities will offer three privacy settings: public, invite-only, and private, with each having its own dedicated feed.

Benzer’s comments come after Bluesky COO Rose Wang expressed a desire to shift away from being merely a “public square,” drawing inspiration from platforms like Reddit. Meanwhile, Meta’s Threads is currently testing a similar communities feature, while X recently announced the discontinuation of its own community initiative.