Bluesky, the decentralized social network created by Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey, has introduced a new feature that allows users to opt out of having their public posts appear in the app’s main Discover feed. Unlike private posts, which Bluesky is still working to support at the protocol level, this feature merely limits the audience to a user’s current followers and network, preventing potential viral spread. The decision to add this option stems from the recognition that many users prefer to share content solely with their established community rather than seeking wide exposure.

The new “algorithmic opt-out” toggle can be activated in the app’s Privacy and Security settings and may take up to an hour to fully take effect. This setting reduces the chance that a user’s posts will be surfaced by Bluesky’s algorithm in the Discover feed, which currently features public posts from anywhere across the network. This adjustment provides more control over post visibility and aims to cater to users who want to avoid unsolicited attention or rapid content dissemination.

Importantly, the algorithmic preference is stored at the account level rather than being app-specific. This means that if users post through other applications built on the same underlying protocol, AT Proto, their opt-out setting is carried over. However, Bluesky notes that third-party apps must independently decide whether to honor this user's content visibility preference, so compliance is not automatically guaranteed outside the official Bluesky app.

This update comes shortly after Bluesky added support for longer video uploads, signaling a broader effort to enhance content sharing options and user control on the platform. By implementing features like the algorithmic opt-out, Bluesky continues to differentiate itself with privacy-centric and user-focused innovations, addressing diverse social media usage styles in a decentralized environment.