Bluesky's Jay Graber transforms social media with user-controlled freedom

Bluesky, which has experienced a remarkable growth from 3 million to 24 million users since February 2023, is currently under the leadership of CEO Jay Graber. The platform has gained popularity due to its vibrant community and decentralized protocol that allows users considerable customization options. However, concerns persist regarding how Bluesky will eventually generate revenue. Graber has articulated that potential monetization strategies may include social media subscriptions, a marketplace of algorithms, and selling domain names. Despite her commitment to avoiding a traditional ad-driven model, she has not fully dismissed the prospect of incorporating advertisements in a manner aligned with user intentions. Graber emphasized that any advertising approach would differ significantly from existing models employed by traditional social networks, as Bluesky’s structure allows users to create ad-free feeds. Her vision for Bluesky focuses on user empowerment and control, which means their revenue strategies must align with these values. While Graber is hesitant to adopt a model where users' attention becomes the product, she has admitted that some form of advertising might be explored, particularly in ways that do not compromise user experience. Furthermore, Graber mentioned the company’s intention to establish protocols akin to the robots.txt standard used by websites. This would give users the ability to indicate preferences regarding bot activity associated with their shared content. The inherent challenges of monetization are magnified by the platform’s open protocol, which is designed to prioritize user autonomy compared to models devised by companies such as Facebook or Instagram. These companies have successfully captured user engagement by controlling the entire ecosystem. Currently, Bluesky is navigating its growth phase and is under pressure to remain competitive in a landscape where platforms like Threads have surpassed it significantly in user counts. Despite the difficulties in monetizing its innovative infrastructure, Graber is adamant about prioritizing the user experience, insisting that revenue generation should always follow, rather than dictate, user engagement. The journey towards a monetization strategy is still nascent, but as Bluesky progresses, there may be gradual explorations into advertising practices that respect and prioritize its user base.