What Are the WordPress Community’s Hopes for Bluesky?

The exodus began shortly after the 2024 US election. WordPress community members left the swamps of Twitter/X and migrated to Bluesky. They weren’t the only ones.

The social media platform has seen millions of new account signups. According to The Verge, most of the newbies hail from the US.

Formerly an invite-only app, Bluesky now allows anyone to join. It offers a visually similar experience to Twitter/X—just without Elon Musk. The controversial billionaire’s acquisition of the former Twitter has left a bad taste in more than a few people’s mouths, not to mention algorithm changes that have let bots and trolls roam free.

Perhaps the election was a catalyst. However, the dissatisfaction among WordPressers isn’t new. Maybe that was the nudge many of us needed to try something new.

The question is: What are we hoping to get out of Bluesky? Is it worth the trouble to have yet another social media account?

I have a few thoughts on my transition so far. And I also received some healthy feedback from a few WordPress community members. Together, we’ll try to shine some light on what we’re searching for.

I Tried (And Failed) to Outlast Elon

I joined Twitter in 2008 when social media was in its infancy. I liked the platform’s real-time feeds and ease of use. The contrast to services like Facebook made it my favorite app for promoting work and making friends.

I didn’t mind that it took years to build a modest following. I valued the connections I made inside and outside of the WordPress community.

However, the platform’s original mission got lost along the way. Algorithms made it harder to consume tweets as they were posted. This started before Musk but intensified after he came on board.

Musk’s 2022 acquisition was disappointing to me. But I assumed he’d get bored and eventually leave. I wanted to prove that I could outlast him. Someone with a better feel for how people connect would surely take over, right?

Well, there’s been no luck on that front. The platform has only become more frustrating to use. Ads seem intent on creating a strong reaction (positive or negative). Disinformation campaigns have become impossible to avoid. I may or may not have more bots than humans following me.

I don’t want to abandon my audience. My account still exists and I continue to write posts. But when I stumbled upon a WordPress community starter pack for Bluesky, I decided to give it a chance.

A Fresh Start on a Decentralized Platform

On the surface, Bluesky seems like a great fit for the WordPress community. The platform’s use of the open-source AT protocol promotes a decentralized network. That certainly jibes with the values of the WordPress project.

Upon signup, you may notice that Bluesky seems quieter and less chaotic than X. That makes sense, as there are fewer users. And you’re probably not following as many feeds as you did on the other platform. There are also no ads to worry about – yet.

The result is something akin to the early days of social media. I’ve found it to be a more pleasant experience. I interact with many of the same people – just without all the noise polluting my feed.

Sure, there are a few annoyances. Users must refresh the page to see notifications when using Bluesky in a web browser. And there have been a few network hiccups as the platform grows in popularity. But here’s hoping those areas improve with time.

There are also unique features, such as using a custom domain as your account handle. You can use it to verify your identity and keep the same handle across other apps built on the AT protocol.

Thus far, it seems like a nice balance. Bluesky offers a familiar interface but with enough twists to keep things interesting.

How long will these good vibes last? We’ll address that in a bit.

Community Members Share Their Thoughts

There has been a steady trickle of WordPress community members signing up. So, I decided to ask them about their hopes and goals. What do they want out of the Bluesky experience?

Here are a few of their takes on the subject:

Success Requires a Caring Community and Governance

It’s refreshing to see people excited about Bluesky’s potential. And hope is always better than the alternative. But it’s fair to wonder how long that can last.

The true test will be what we do with this new hangout destination. Controversial topics are unavoidable – regardless of what social platforms we use. Do we carry over the same old arguments and insults from Twitter/X? Or do we commit to creating a more welcoming space that allows us to “agree to disagree”?

Part of the challenge is to avoid repeating bad behavioral patterns. I’m as guilty as anyone in this area. I followed accounts that prioritized sensitive subjects like politics. I chose to follow celebrities because…they’re celebrities. It turned my feed into a jumbled mess.

A fresh start offers a chance to do things differently. I can choose to keep my feed smaller and friendlier.

And I can choose to avoid subjects that stress me out. Oh, and I can choose to do my homework regarding disinformation.

Bluesky’s governance will also play a role in how things play out. A few key questions come to mind:

• How will the platform handle bullying and abusive behavior?
• Will it use algorithms to push interaction at the cost of civility?
• Will it provide tools to keep our feeds safe from bad actors?
• How will the quest for profitability impact users and their data?

This is where Twitter/X failed miserably. Facebook also deserves some blame. Neither platform is as friendly or usable as it once was.

Ultimately, it’s up to us to do better. And we’ll need Bluesky’s support to get there.

Where Do We Go From Here?

Communities are a fragile thing. Using technology to tilt the scale one way or the other can have serious consequences. And it’s no secret that profit has been known to cloud judgment.

Social media can and should be an enjoyable place to converse and share ideas. However, humans have turned it into something much less appealing. I fear it will be hard to avoid the same fate here.

That doesn’t mean the WordPress community can’t make a home on Bluesky. Perhaps it’s the second chance we need right now.

Let’s do our best to make it work this time around!

Note: The WP Minute and its staffers are on Bluesky – give us a follow:

• The WP Minute
• Eric Karkovack
• Raquel Manriquez
• Matt Medeiros