Revolution.Social

Techdirt’s Mike Masnick on Growing Bluesky, Clueless Regulators & the Case for Optimism

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Sep 18, 2025
Mike Masnick, a pioneering tech journalist and founder of Techdirt, dives into the future of decentralized social media and his vision from 'Protocols, Not Platforms.' He discusses Bluesky’s innovative AT Protocol, emphasizing user control and the challenges of heavy regulations like age verification. Masnick shares insights on aligning economic incentives with user freedom and reflects on how AI could enhance decentralized systems. With a mix of history and optimism, he paints a vibrant picture of a more user-empowered internet.
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INSIGHT

Protocols Return Power To Users

  • Protocols shift power from centralized companies and governments back to end users.
  • Mike Masnick argues this restores choice and prevents single actors from unilaterally controlling speech.
ANECDOTE

Paper Inspired Blue Sky, Then Board Seat

  • Mike recounts writing the Protocols, Not Platforms paper and watching others act on it without him.
  • He later joined Blue Sky's board after an open seat appeared when Jack left.
INSIGHT

Design Plus UX Enabled Adoption

  • Blue Sky paired a thoughtful protocol design with a familiar, easy UI to attract users.
  • That combination made adoption plausible where many technical decentralized projects failed.
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