Bluesky and Mastodon are two important decentralized social networking platforms that can potentially shape the future of the Internet. While both aim to offer users more control and data ownership, some important technical and ideological differences exist between the platforms. These differences are leading to a contest that will determine how the internet is used and controlled.
Bluesky and Mastodon: Technical differences
Bluesky uses its own protocol called AT Protocol, while Mastodon uses a more common protocol called ActivityPub. This protocol incompatibility prevents direct interaction between the two platforms.
Third-party bridges like Bridgy Fed allow limited interaction between the two platforms. However, these bridges raise concerns about security and data ownership.
Bluesky aims to offer a federation model where each server can communicate with the others, and users can access the entire network with a single account. In Mastodon, federation already exists, but in a less developed form.
Ideological differences
While Bluesky has a more fun and relaxed atmosphere, Mastodon shows a more serious and activist tendency.
Bluesky focuses on the user experience, while Mastodon focuses on providing an alternative to centralization.
Bluesky is a non-profit organization but it was funded in its early stages by Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey. Mastodon is a completely non-profit project.
Results of the competition
The rivalry between Bluesky and Mastodon could have important consequences for the future of the Internet:
- The evolution of social networks: This tug-of-war will determine how decentralized social networks will evolve and which protocols will dominate.
- User experience: The lack of compatibility between different platforms could create complexity and confusion for users.
- Data ownership: Bridges and federation models will significantly impact users’ data ownership and control.
Future outlook
The rivalry between Bluesky and Mastodon is unlikely to end any time soon. However, it may contribute to the evolution of the Internet towards a more open and democratic future.
Conclusion
The rivalry between Bluesky and Mastodon is an important development for the future of the Internet. How this rivalry plays out will determine how the Internet will be used and controlled.
Featured image credit: bsky.app