Bluesky Launches Group Chats in Pivot Toward Communities
Bluesky is expanding its social toolkit with the introduction of group chats, a feature arriving in version 1.124 of the app. This update signals a strategic pivot for the platform, moving away from a strictly public-facing feed toward smaller, community-centric spaces.
The new functionality allows for conversations between up to 50 participants. While this capacity is significantly lower than the 1,000-member limit currently supported by X, the company indicated that capacity increases are possible in the future.
Control and Privacy Features
Bluesky has implemented specific privacy controls for the new chat feature:
- Invite Management: Creators can generate shareable links to invite participants.
- Participant Controls: Users can dictate who is permitted to add them to a group, with a default setting restricted to people they already follow.
- Safety Constraints: Media sharing is currently disabled, as the platform continues to develop necessary moderation and safety systems.
A Shift Toward Community Focus
Alex Benzer, head of product at Bluesky, outlined the vision for this update in recent posts. Benzer noted that while Bluesky currently functions as one large, open space, the roadmap includes creating smaller, interest-based communities built on the underlying AT Protocol.
These future community spaces are expected to offer custom handles, similar to URLs, and granular privacy settings—ranging from public to invite-only or private—mirroring structures seen on platforms like Reddit or Facebook Groups.
This development comes as Bluesky, which currently reports approximately 44.8 million registered users, seeks to differentiate itself from larger competitors like X and Meta’s Threads. By emphasizing user control and decentralized technology, the company aims to attract users looking for an alternative to Big Tech-managed social environments.
Alongside the new chat capabilities, the latest app version also introduces personalized QR codes for easier profile sharing.