Our Social Internet Atmosphere 🦋

Social media is broken. The vibes are off. Companies fight for our attention on platforms where we just want to connect with our friends. Relatedly, it's gotten more and more difficult to organize communities of practice online.

Mercifully, the options on the menu are evolving. An alternative social internet atmosphere (AT Protocol) is emerging. Bluesky is the future of online social networking. And the future is now.

Here are tips to find fellow birds of a feather so we may flock together.

Follow folks

Here's a starter pack I put together. It contains accounts and feeds I think you'll enjoy. May as well click follow all. 

Starter pack

Other peoples’ starter packs I like:

Oh, and my handle is @christian.bsky.social. Say hi! 

Gather resources

The Bluesky Directory curates helpful tools and content. Filter by categories like featured migration tools, metrics, feeds, labelers, starter packs, or clients. Search all starter packs for relevant terms, like library.

Run a third-place or event venue? Consider a service like Buffer or Dlvr to cross-post between Bluesky and closed platforms like Instagram or Facebook.

Set boundaries

One of AT Protocol's greatest innovations is stackable moderation. Check out the EFF's guide on How to Clean Up Your Bluesky Feed to learn how it works.

Bluesky provides the optional Bluesky Moderation Service by default. Here, you can mute words and configure content filters.

Subscribe to labelers

You can also subscribe to community-run Bluesky labelers and moderation services to stack filter actions (e.g. badge, warn, hide, show) based on AT Protocol's robust labeling system. I subscribe to these helpful community labelers.

Find feeds

Many feeds are high-quality. Some are strictly curated. Others are fueled by creative algorithms. False-positives happen. The more you find your flock, the better each algorithmic feed will cater to what you want to see.

Browse feeds in the Bluesky app and pin what you like to your home view. I also maintain a list of feeds I like in case you're curious.

Feeds I like

Check in

Use Clearsky to find lists that reference your account.

  • List membership can be used to spot potential connections who're interested in your account.
  • Be warned, you will eventually find yourself tagged by block or mute lists as well as birds-of-a-feather lists.

Here's my Clearsky list membership report. Some people like me, some people don't. Is what it is.

Migrate from X Twitter

You might've already found these tools in the Bluesky Directory. If you're still on the ex-bird site, be sure to check 'em out.

  • Sky Follower Bridge is a browser plugin for perusing your twitter following list and finding potential matches on Bluesky. It's not foolproof, but it should help you find some of your people relatively quickly.
  • Blueark is a paid consierge service for migrating your twitter archive to Bluesky if you're so inclined. It will backdate posts.

Cultivate community

2024 wasn't easy and 2025 won’t be a walk in the park. We need a space to organize and build community online using ecologically sensitive, resilient systems. 

If you haven't already, please, join me on Bluesky 🦋. A healthier social internet atmosphere awaits.