Bluesky, the decentralized social network aiming to offer an alternative to X, announced on Monday the addition of Mike Masnick, founder of the tech blog Techdirt, to its board. Masnick is recognized for his influential paper, “Protocols, not Platforms,” which inspired the Bluesky project.
According to a company blog post, the team had been consulting Masnick for advice, and formalizing this relationship by adding him to the board was seen as a “natural next step.”
Bluesky began as a project within Twitter under Jack Dorsey’s leadership but later spun out independently following Twitter’s rebranding to X under Elon Musk. The company has since raised a seed round and introduced a paid service to help users set up custom domains on its platform.
Jack Dorsey, who had been a supporter of Bluesky in its early stages, later publicly criticized the startup for repeating mistakes made at Twitter, particularly in handling early moderation issues. Dorsey Bluesky, now with six million users, continues to develop its platform and technology, the AT Protocol. The company values Masnick’s expertise in reporting, editing, publishing, and his knowledge of policy, technology, and legal challenges. from Bluesky’s board in May and now focuses on Nostr, another decentralized network favored by Bitcoin enthusiasts.
Bluesky, now with six million users, continues to develop its platform, policies, and technology, known as the AT Protocol. The company plans to leverage Masnick’s extensive experience as a reporter, editor, and publisher, along with his knowledge of policy, technology, and legal matters.
Bluesky CEO Jay Graber stated that Masnick’s work has inspired the team from the start, and his board membership aligns with their vision for an open internet. Masnick expressed enthusiasm for supporting Bluesky’s mission and helping build a better internet.
