For a few years now I’ve leaned into the idea of using my own site, writing slowly, valuing analog habits, stepping back from the endless scroll. Blogging felt like a quiet resistance to the noise of “platform social media”. So when I say I’m now using Bluesky, it might sound like a contradiction. But for me it isn’t. Here’s why.
Ownership & Control
A big reason I blog is because I want control. Over what I say, when I say it, how it’s archived, where it lives. Platforms where the rules shift, algorithms change, data disappears—they make me uneasy.
Bluesky is built on an open protocol (the AT Protocol) which means it’s designed with data portability, user agency, and less corporate lock-in in mind. (Decrypt)
In other words: if I decide Bluesky isn’t for me, I won’t lose everything I built. That fits with how I try to live: make low-regret choices, keep options open.
Quiet in the Noise
I’ve written about resisting modern pressures, choosing slow movement, real life over performance. A social feed that feels frantic, algorithmically driven, purely growth-oriented is the opposite of that.
Bluesky offers a different vibe: transparency about algorithms, ability to pick or customise feeds rather than being forced into a “for you” feed that is opaque. (Rival IQ)
This means I can dip in, say something, connect with people without feeling like I’m on a hamster wheel of engagement, likes, and noise.
Community, Not Consumption
I believe in small acts of defiance: keeping a capsule wardrobe, being intentional about my media, using the tools but not being used by them. Bluesky, for me, feels more like a place where that is possible.
There’s a sense of early-stage community, of people who are there by choice, not because they got sucked in by algorithmic loops. Some early analysis shows the platform has higher levels of original content and less resharing or viral churn than many alternatives. (arXiv)
That quieter, more intentional energy is something I’ve been missing elsewhere online.
A Bridge, Not a Full Shift
Using Bluesky doesn’t mean I’m giving up my blog. Far from it. I still want long-form, considered writing, a place I can archive my thoughts, reflect on slow change, recovery, the everyday in a way that social media rarely allows.
But I’m also okay saying: yes, I will use a social platform. Because I believe we can use tools in ways aligned with our values, rather than be wholly subject to them.
If used thoughtfully, Bluesky becomes a space for connection, not consumption.
If You’d Like to Connect
If you’re on Bluesky too, you’ll find me at dougieboy.bsky.social.
Feel free to follow, say hi, or simply observe how this plays out. No pressure, no algorithmic rabbit hole.
In short, I’m using Bluesky because it aligns with many of the things I’ve been saying here, small acts of intention, resisting the noise, owning my presence.
And yes, I’m still blogging. Because some things are worth doing in their own time, on their own terms.
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