At a time when major tech platforms are concentrating ever more power, it is vital to take as many steps as possible towards digital autonomy. Our presence in the ATmosphere – Bluesky’s protocol – is no longer dependent on the platform’s standard infrastructure. Instead, our data now runs on Eurosky’s Personal Data Server (PDS). This gives us greater control over our presence on the platform.
What is a PDS?

A Personal Data Server (PDS) is where your personal data is stored within the AT Protocol, the network protocol on which Bluesky is built. On traditional social media, you manage your account, but not your data. That remains in the hands of the platform. With a PDS, it’s different: your account, your posts, your followers and your interactions are stored on a server that you choose and manage yourself (or have managed by a party you trust).

This also means you can migrate without losing your digital identity or data. You are not ‘tied’ to a single company. Instead of platform dependency, a network of interconnected servers emerges: a federated model we are already familiar with from, for example, email.

What is Eurosky?

Eurosky is a European provider of PDS hosting that is committed to transparency, privacy and digital sovereignty. Instead of storing data in the US, Eurosky offers an alternative that operates within European legislation and values. Think of stricter privacy protection, less commercial exploitation of user data and a clear focus on public infrastructure.

Why this move?

Since Elon Musk’s takeover of Twitter, we have been missing a digital village square where public debate can take place in (relative) safety. In particular, the presence of journalists, scientists, experts and opinion leaders has been significantly reduced. It appears that some of these people are now continuing their online presence on Bluesky. At Waag, we believe it is important to be present among this target group, even though we are critical of the platform: as far as we are concerned, Bluesky does not (yet) live up to the promise of true decentralisation.

Bluesky continues to set the standard for the platform: the AT protocol is open source, but Bluesky remains the primary developer and thus determines the direction. They largely decide which features are prioritised and what interoperability looks like. Bluesky also continues to manage crucial components such as the standard feed and discoverability mechanisms. The platform also plays a major role in what is and isn’t visible through moderation. Alternative moderation services are possible, but they are not yet dominant.

The way Bluesky is funded is at odds with the idea of decentralisation because the platform relies on venture capital and operates under a shareholder model. Investors who provide capital typically expect a return and influence, which can lead to decisions that are not necessarily in line with the interests of users, who want control over their data. This introduces a form of centralised power and decision-making, whereby a relatively small group of shareholders indirectly steers the development of the network.

Being able to migrate your personal data to your own server is a key prerequisite for decentralisation, so we are keen to take that step. The migration was easily arranged thanks to Eurosky’s EU-Haul service. We encourage everyone to do the same, because as long as most users have their data hosted by Bluesky, the data – and with it a large portion of the power – remains with Bluesky.

Towards true decentralisation

Due to the criticisms mentioned above, the decentralised network of the Fediverse – Mastodon and other apps such as Peertube – remains the most important social network for us. We run our own Mastodon instance there, waag.social, where you can also create an account. We currently have around 500 active users.

Interested in more decentralised social media?
–    Follow us on Bluesky
–    Follow us on Mastodon
–    Create your own waag.social account
–    Read here how to get started on Mastodon