algorithmic choice & control
Bluesky’s approach to curation is based on the idea that people “must have control over
our algorithms if we’re going to trust in our online spaces” (The Bluesky Team, 2022).
The platform’s support for custom feeds supports this mission, offering “essentially a
farmers’ market of algorithms” (Graber quoted in SXSW, 2025, 54:18). Yet custom feeds
exist... See more
our algorithms if we’re going to trust in our online spaces” (The Bluesky Team, 2022).
The platform’s support for custom feeds supports this mission, offering “essentially a
farmers’ market of algorithms” (Graber quoted in SXSW, 2025, 54:18). Yet custom feeds
exist... See more
Algorithmic feeds: good or bad?
Many people claim they just want a chronological feed, but studies consistently show the vast majority of people prefer algorithmic recommendations, because they surface more of what users actually want, compared to chronological feeds.
That said, it’s not as simple as “algorithms good.” There’s evidence that... See more
Many people claim they just want a chronological feed, but studies consistently show the vast majority of people prefer algorithmic recommendations, because they surface more of what users actually want, compared to chronological feeds.
That said, it’s not as simple as “algorithms good.” There’s evidence that... See more
Yes, Section 230 Should Apply Equally To Algorithmic Recommendations
To support end-user customization, researchers have examined and built a variety of specialized tools that enable users to author person-alized content classifiers within social media [35, 40, 41, 63]. They have also explored generic techniques for non-technical people to build their own text classifiers
End User Authoring of Personalized Content Classifiers: Comparing Example Labeling, Rule Writing, and LLM Prompting
The findings suggest that people can improve their online discussions by using this type of language in their posts. It also suggests social media platforms should optimize algorithms to surface these posts more often...Center for Media Engagement research offers a solution to this problem—encouraging the use of “connective language” online.3 Connective language expresses an openness to other perspectives and a humble approach to presenting one’s viewpoints.4 Examples of connective language include phrases such as “correct me if I’m wrong” or “this is just my opinion.”
“The algorithm, more than the content type or the app’s appearance, is the core of social media because it directs how you spend your attention there,” she wrote in 2023, describing Bluesky’s goal as replacing the “master algorithm” controlled by a single company with an open “marketplace of algorithms.” The language is consistently about... See more
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