Bluesky CEO Jay Graber, along with Techdirt editor Mike Masnick and Twitter’s former safety lead Yoel Roth, recently discussed the pressing issue of content moderation in the fediverse at the Knight Foundation’s Informed event. The panel shed light on the challenges faced by emerging platforms like Bluesky in maintaining a balance between effective content moderation and providing a seamless user experience.
Key Takeaway
Bluesky CEO Jay Graber is focused on creating a positive user experience while navigating the complexities of content moderation in the fediverse, emphasizing the platform’s commitment to composable moderation.
Bluesky’s Approach to Content Moderation
Graber emphasized the importance of creating a positive user experience while ensuring effective content moderation on the platform. She highlighted the initial success of Bluesky, with a high ratio of active posters to lurkers, indicating a vibrant posting culture. However, the platform encountered challenges during its beta phase, particularly in addressing delicate content moderation issues.
Challenges and Growth
Graber acknowledged the growing pains faced by Bluesky, especially in light of its expanding user base and team. The platform has seen a significant increase in users, reaching over 3 million, despite still being in the beta phase. With the upcoming AT Protocol, which allows the creation of new social networks atop Bluesky’s infrastructure, the company faces the challenge of regulating content across diverse networks.
Composable Moderation
Graber outlined Bluesky’s vision of “composable moderation,” which allows individual apps built on the protocol to establish their own moderation rules within the framework set by Bluesky. This approach aims to provide flexibility while maintaining a baseline for moderation. The platform also offers users the option to choose from a variety of third-party feeds, enhancing their content viewing experience.
Open Source Challenges
Graber acknowledged the complexities of open source software, recognizing that while it offers collaboration and contribution opportunities, it also presents the risk of divergent values and ideologies. She emphasized the role of the user base in shaping acceptable behavior on the platform, highlighting the pluralist nature of the ecosystem.
Addressing Extremist Communities
The panel also discussed the challenges of dealing with extremist communities utilizing open source platforms. Graber emphasized the need to limit the impact of such communities while acknowledging the limitations in completely altering their ideologies.
In conclusion, Bluesky’s approach to content moderation reflects a commitment to fostering a positive user experience while navigating the complexities of the fediverse. The platform’s emphasis on composable moderation and user-driven norms sets the stage for a dynamic and inclusive social ecosystem.
