Social media platform Bluesky yields to Turkish censorship demands, yet maintains a possible means of circumvention
Revamped Article:
Hey there! Here's the lowdown on Bluesky, the microblogging hotspot that's giving Twitter a run for its money as folks search for a social media hangout away from the grasp of a certain self-proclaimed mogul. But, this week, the excitement surrounding the platform took a nasty turn when news broke that Bluesky had succumbed to censorship pressures from the Turkish government—not exactly the kind of move you'd expect from a site touting freedom and openness.
According to a recent report, Bluesky silenced 72 accounts in Turkey following demands from the government, which claimed the accounts posed risks to "national security and public order" —TechCrunch says so. It's unclear who ran these accounts or why the government viewed them as a threat, though the account suspensions were initially reported by the Freedom of Expression Association, a Turkish NGO focusing on civil liberties. Bluesky hasn't made any official statements on the matter yet.
Here's a twist: Since Bluesky operates within the Fediverse and depends on the open standard AT Protocol, there's technically a way for Turkish users who got axed to still play around online. Due to Bluesky's status as a constituent of a semi-decentralized network of sites, the censored users might still find solace on other sites that form "the Atmosphere," powered by the same AT Protocol created by Bluesky Social PBC. These platforms can be accessed online and via apps like Skywalker, Skeets, and Roomy.
Bluesky, with a $13 million investment from Twitter, was birthed by Twitter legend Jack Dorsey. Although Dorsey has moved on, the reins are now in the capable hands of CEO Jay Graber. Since Elon Musk took charge of Twitter and transformed it into his personal megaphone, there's been an exodus of people flocking to Bluesky, which has positioned itself as a more sane choice compared to the chaos on X. The platform maintained its positive reputation by putting users first and fostering a system that embraces speech and independence. However, caving to foreign censorship isn't a great first step for the company, even if it offers a sneaky workaround that other sites don't.
Keep an eye on Bluesky as it grapples with striking a balance between its decentralized identity and meeting legal demands in diverse regions. If you want to know more about this tale, give TechCrunch or Gizmodo a spin for more details!
- TechCrunch reported that Bluesky, a microblogging platform challenging Twitter, censored 72 accounts in Turkey due to government demands.
- The Freedom of Expression Association, a Turkish NGO focusing on civil liberties, initially reported the account suspensions.
- Since Bluesky operates within the Fediverse and depends on the open standard AT Protocol, Turkish users who were censored can still access other sites within "the Atmosphere," such as Skywalker, Skeets, and Roomy.
- Jack Dorsey, a Twitter legend, founded Bluesky with a $13 million investment from Twitter, but currently, the CEO is Jay Graber.
- Elon Musk's takeover of Twitter and its ensuing chaos have led to an influx of people leaving for Bluesky, which positions itself as a more stable choice.
- Bluesky maintains its positive reputation by putting users first and promoting a system that values speech and independence.
- The international community will closely watch Bluesky as it navigates the challenge of balancing its decentralized identity with meeting legal demands across various regions.
