Bluesky has officially introduced direct messaging (DM) capabilities, the company announced on Wednesday, May 22. This new feature marks a significant step for the platform, as it plans to “fully support end-to-end encrypted messaging down the line.”
Enhanced Privacy with Private Conversations
The launch comes just two weeks after Bluesky teased the upcoming direct messaging capabilities. Previously, all interactions on the platform were public, so the introduction of DMs now allows users to chat privately while remaining on the social network. Users can access the new feature by starting a private conversation within Bluesky’s “Chat” tab. DMs are available on both mobile and desktop applications, but currently, the feature supports only one-to-one messages, not group messages.
By default, only people you follow can send you DMs, but users can adjust their settings to allow DMs from no one, only people they follow, or all Bluesky users. This new feature aligns Bluesky’s user experience more closely with X (formerly Twitter) and provides a competitive edge over Meta’s Threads, which does not offer native DMs.
Expanding More Features
Bluesky has seen notable success despite launching without some of the core features available on X. Over the past year, the company has been enhancing its service, aiming to expand its user base by introducing more capabilities.
Recently, Bluesky added a feature allowing users to personalize their main Discover feeds. Users can click on “Show more like this” and “Show less like this” buttons to tailor the content displayed to them, a feature somewhat similar to X’s “Not interested in this post” option.
With approximately 5.6 million users, Bluesky continues to develop its platform. Upcoming features include support for video and anti-harassment tools, demonstrating the company’s commitment to improving user experience and safety.
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Featured Image courtesy of Bluesky