Bluesky launches group chats, shifts strategy to community features
Original: Bluesky launches group chats, as company shifts focus to community features
Why This Matters
Represents strategic pivot for smaller social networks to differentiate through community features
Bluesky introduced group chat functionality for up to 50 people in app version 1.124, marking a strategic shift toward community-focused features as the platform's 44.8 million users trail X's 600 million monthly actives.
Bluesky launched group chats supporting up to 50 participants, smaller than X's 1,000-member capacity but expandable in future. Chat creators can manage participation and generate shareable invite links displayed as embedded cards in posts. Users control who can invite them with default setting of 'only people you follow.' Media sharing isn't yet supported due to safety concerns. Head of product Alex Benzer outlined plans to build community features on AT Protocol, stating 'Today, Bluesky is one big space. Communities will be smaller spaces inside that.' The timing follows X shutting down its Communities feature in April due to low usage and spam.