We moved our Bluesky data to Eurosky
Waag, a Dutch tech institute, migrated its Bluesky data to Eurosky's Personal Data Server (PDS), advocating for digital autonomy over centralized platform control. This move leverages the AT Protocol's ability to host personal data externally, challenging Bluesky's perceived centralization despite its open-source nature. It resonates on HN as a practical step towards true decentralization, critiquing venture-funded platforms and promoting user sovereignty in social media.
The Lowdown
Waag, an institute focused on public and open technology, announced its decision to move its Bluesky presence to Eurosky, a European Personal Data Server (PDS) provider. This strategic migration is presented as a vital step towards achieving greater digital autonomy and reducing reliance on major tech platforms.
- Personal Data Server (PDS): The AT Protocol, on which Bluesky is built, allows users to store their personal data (account, posts, followers, interactions) on a PDS of their choosing, rather than being tied solely to the platform's infrastructure. This enables users to migrate their digital identity without data loss.
- Eurosky's Offering: Eurosky provides PDS hosting services within Europe, emphasizing transparency, privacy, and digital sovereignty. It aims to offer an alternative to US-based data storage, adhering to stricter European privacy legislation and focusing on public infrastructure.
- Motivation for the Move: Waag expresses a critical view of Bluesky, noting that while it has attracted users from post-Musk Twitter, it doesn't fully deliver on the promise of true decentralization. Concerns include Bluesky's primary developer control over the AT Protocol's direction, its management of crucial features like feeds and discoverability, and its venture capital funding model, which can introduce centralized power dynamics.
- Advocacy for Decentralization: By migrating to Eurosky, Waag aims to lead by example, demonstrating how users can gain more control over their data. They encourage others to follow suit, believing that widespread adoption of PDS will shift power away from the central Bluesky platform.
- Fediverse Preference: Despite their Bluesky presence, Waag states that the Fediverse (e.g., Mastodon, where they run their own instance, waag.social) remains their most important social network due to its genuinely decentralized nature.
In essence, Waag's move to Eurosky is a principled stand, leveraging the AT Protocol's PDS feature to champion user control and challenge the inherent centralizing tendencies of even ostensibly 'decentralized' platforms like Bluesky, pushing for a more federated and autonomous digital landscape.