Bluesky adds an ‘algorithmic opt-out’ feature for those who don’t want to go viral

After adding support for longer videos just yesterday, open social network Bluesky on Thursday introduced a new algorithmic OPT (work permit after graduation)-out feature that allows users to stop their posts from appearing in the app’s main Discover feed. That algorithmic feed can currently surface any post on Bluesky’s network, as posts on the network are public by default. To be clear, this latest change isn’t a way to make posts private — Bluesky is still working on rolling out support for private data at the protocol level. Instead, the feature simply makes a user’s public posts less discoverable to people outside their existing personal network. The company says it created the feature because not everyone using its social media site wants to go viral. Sometimes, people just want to post for their followers without having their words exposed to larger crowds. To opt out of having posts shown in the Discover feed, users can toggle on a new option in the app’s Privacy and Security settings. The change can take up to an hour to fully take effect, the company says. It’s also worth noting that Bluesky’s implementation of the feature extends beyond its own app. The startup community will gather to answer a pivotal question: How do you build sustainably in the AI era?