Bluesky has introduced a new algorithmic opt-out feature that lets users keep their posts out of the app’s main Discover feed. The open social network rolled out the change on Thursday, a day after it expanded support for longer videos.
The Discover feed can currently surface any post across Bluesky’s network, since posts are public by default. The new setting gives users a way to reduce how widely their content spreads without changing that public status.
What the Opt-Out Does and Doesn’t Do
The feature is not a way to make posts private. Bluesky says it is still working on adding support for private data at the protocol level. Instead, the opt-out simply makes a user’s public posts less discoverable to people outside their existing network.
According to the company, the tool was built because not everyone on the platform wants to go viral. Some users prefer to post for their followers without having their words exposed to larger audiences.
To turn it on, users toggle a new option in the app’s Privacy and Security settings. The change can take up to an hour to take full effect, the company says.
Setting Travels Across the AT Protocol
Bluesky’s implementation reaches beyond its own app. Rather than applying only within Bluesky, the preference is recorded at the account level. That means the choice follows the user even when they post from another app built on AT Proto, the underlying protocol that powers Bluesky.
There is a caveat. While other apps on the protocol can access this preference, they still have to decide whether to honor it. Bluesky cannot force third-party clients to respect the opt-out.
The update follows Bluesky’s rollout of support for longer videos the previous day, part of a steady stream of changes to the platform.
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