Bluesky Introduces Reply Controls and Profile Search, Improves UX

Bluesky is continuing to refine its platform with new features aimed at improving user interactions and content discovery. The latest update introduces reply controls and profile search, both of which bring the app even closer to the functionality of Twitter/X.

Users can now manage who can reply to their posts by selecting from different interaction settings. This feature, which X first introduced in 2021, allows users to limit responses and maintain more focused discussions without unwanted interruptions.

Additionally, Bluesky has rolled out profile search, making it easier to find specific mentions and past posts from individual users. This functionality is particularly useful for recalling previous discussions or tracking how a user’s opinions have evolved over time. This is something that has appears to have been fairly unreliable on X after recent changes to how the platform works, meaning that Bluesky may end up outclassing X in terms of search functionality.

Beyond these updates, Bluesky has also improved its search capabilities and added translation options, further enhancing accessibility and content discovery on the platform.

Despite these refinements, Bluesky still faces significant hurdles in competing with larger platforms like Threads and X. While it currently has around 25 million regular users, it lags behind Threads’ 320 million monthly active users and X’s 570 million. Growth has also slowed in recent months, raising questions about its ability to break through to a broader audience – most likely because of a lowered momentum in the “X Exoduses” that caused its initial boost in users, since many uses who wanted to leave X will have already done so.

However, Bluesky has positioned itself as a viable alternative for those seeking a real-time discussion platform without the controversies surrounding its larger competitors. With the 2024 U.S. election having previously driven some users toward the platform, and with X and Meta facing ongoing scrutiny, Bluesky remains well-placed to attract disenchanted users if a major shift occurs in the social media landscape.