In the academic sphere, a groundswell is currently breaking and the scientific community is beginning a radical change in the way it communicates online. This wave is Bluesky. In 2019, the latter was simply a project initiated by Jack Dorsey, then CEO of Twitter. Its objective was clear: to develop an open and decentralized protocol for social networks.
Today, it is experiencing absolutely dazzling growth. Following the results of the presidential election which put Donald Trump back in charge of the USA, Bluesky grew from 14 to 21 million users in just two weeks. A real explosion of popularity; which however has its downside; also marking a massive migration of the scientific community, in search of a more peaceful space for exchange than its predecessor X. Since the takeover by Elon Musk, the platform has been faltering and showing significant signs of decline.
An academic haven of peace
Bluesky’s appeal lies in its ability to recreate the atmosphere of the early days of Twitterwhere more than 500,000 researchers shared their discoveries in 2022. The platform appeals with its stricter approach to moderation and its robust protection mechanisms. Conversely, X, the fallen heir of Twitter, has recently sunk into a vicious spiral of questionable content and bots, driven by faulty moderation.
Bluesky deploys an arsenal of features allowing users and researchers to personalize their digital environment as they wish. Very effective filtering tools are available, including the “ nuclear block “, which eliminates any interaction with accounts deemed undesirable.
A system of “ feeds » perfectly optimized is also included: these are thematic threads which ensure targeted dissemination of scientific content. For example, the “ Science feed », led by a user named Bossett, already attracts 14,000 subscribers and generates 400,000 daily views, bringing together ecologists, zoologists and quantum physicists.
A self-regulating republic of knowledge
The originality of Bluesky also lies in its intellectual governance. Access to the circle of scientific contributors is obtained through a rigorous validation process of credentials academic, that is to say all the qualifications and academic titles which attest to the competence of a person in a given field. Mae Saslaw, a geoscientist at Stony Brook, saw a six-fold increase in applications to the geoscience feed in just one week.
An innovative system, the “ starter packs » are available on the network; they act as personalized welcome guides for new arrivals in the form of thematic subscription lists.
Among these initiatives, the “ Blackademics UK. » created by neuroscientist Clíona Murray highlights the work of black British academics. In the same vein, developer Rudy Fraser designed “Blacksky”, a collection of news feeds with moderation tools allowing users to automatically report and filter racist or misogynistic contentwith particular attention paid to attacks targeting black women in academia. Compared to X, it’s two rooms, two atmospheres.
The changes of an expanding ecosystem
Faced with this exodus, some researchers take a nuanced position. Professor Axel Bruns of the University of Queensland chose to maintain his account on X, fearing abandoning it would open the door to identity thieves. A concern shared by Madhukar Pai of McGill University who, despite the loss of more than a thousand subscribers, remains loyal to the platform. “ If the experts leave X, who will provide reliable scientific information on the platform ? » he asks.
The massive influx towards this new agora still raises questions about its sustainability. Bethan Davies, a glaciologist in Newcastle, anticipates the infiltration of malicious algorithms and actors with dubious intentions. “ There is clearly a risk that malicious individuals and bots will invade the platform” he explains.
Emily Liu, Head of Growth, Communications and Partnerships at Bluesky, recognizes these vulnerabilities and is reassuring : “ We have strengthened our security team and recruited additional moderators to better manage the situation “.
Bluesky’s success will depend on its ability to preserve the quality of online exchanges within it, whether scientific or not, while managing its exponential growth. For now, the platform seems to have found a balance between openness and control, but this influx of new users will certainly put its protective mechanisms to the test.
- Bluesky appeals to researchers with a serene environment and strict moderation, contrasting with the decline of X.
- The platform offers innovative features such as thematic “feeds” and welcome packs to facilitate academic exchanges.
- With such success, Bluesky will have to manage the risks linked to the explosion in the number of users.
