Bluesky Welcomes Techdirt Founder Mike Masnick to its Board
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Decentralized social media platform Bluesky has announced a significant addition to its board of directors: Mike Masnick, the founder and driving force behind the influential tech blog Techdirt. This move comes as Bluesky continues to gain traction with over 6 million users and solidifies its commitment to building a truly open and user-centric social web.
From Inspiration to Collaboration
Masnick’s influence on Bluesky stems from his seminal paper, “Protocols, not Platforms,” which laid the groundwork for the platform’s decentralized approach. Bluesky’s team has long sought Masnick’s counsel, and his formal appointment to the board represents a natural progression of their shared vision.
A History of Innovation and Evolution
Initially incubated within Twitter under Jack Dorsey‘s leadership, Bluesky later spun out as an independent entity. This independence allowed Bluesky to raise a seed round last year and launch its first paid service, enabling users to personalize their online presence with custom domains.
While Dorsey initially supported Bluesky, he later publicly criticized the platform for echoing some of Twitter’s past mistakes, particularly concerning content moderation. In May 2024, Dorsey stepped down from Bluesky’s board to focus on Nostr, another decentralized network championed by Bitcoin proponents.
A Focus on Growth and User Empowerment
With Masnick’s addition, Bluesky fills a crucial board position as it continues to expand its platform and policies. The company aims to leverage Masnick’s expertise in journalism, editing, writing, policy, technology, and legal matters to navigate the complexities of growth while prioritizing user empowerment.
“Mike’s work has been an inspiration to us from the beginning,” stated Bluesky CEO Jay Graber. “Having him be part of our board feels like a natural progression of our shared vision for a more open web. His perspective will help ensure we’re building something that truly serves users as we continue to evolve Bluesky and the AT Protocol.”
“I’m excited to join the Bluesky board and to help its vision of building an open social network,” Masnick stated. “Over the past few years, I’ve been thrilled to see how the Bluesky team has turned these concepts into reality, and I look forward to helping the company continue to build a better web.”
