Bluesky is testing new features aimed at enhancing user experience and conversation quality on its platform, including a private dislike button and a concept called “social proximity.” The updates are part of the company’s broader efforts to make online discussions more relevant, engaging, and less prone to misunderstanding.
Building connections through ‘social proximity’
The central idea behind Bluesky’s latest experiments revolves around “social proximity.” According to the company, the goal is to create a system that maps each user’s position within a “social neighbourhood” — a network of people they already interact with or are likely to enjoy engaging with.
By prioritising replies and posts from those within a user’s social neighbourhood, Bluesky hopes to make conversations feel “more relevant, familiar, and less prone to misunderstandings.” This approach could lead to a feed that more accurately reflects a user’s social environment, creating a sense of digital community.
The feature also includes a beta version of a dislike button designed to help the system understand what types of posts users prefer to see less often. Unlike the traditional public-facing dislike or downvote seen on other platforms, this version appears to be private. It will not only influence the Discover feed but may also affect how replies are ranked within a user’s threads and across those of others in their social neighbourhood.
Encouraging thoughtful interactions
In addition to refining how content appears, Bluesky is testing changes to the way users reply to posts. Currently, the platform allows users to limit replies to followers, as highlighted by Bluesky’s Chief Technology Officer, Paul Frazee, in a recent post. However, the company is looking to move beyond this simple restriction.
Bluesky is exploring a new interaction model where tapping the Reply button first displays the full conversation thread before opening a reply window. This adjustment encourages users to review the context of a discussion before responding. Combined with an improved detection system for identifying inappropriate or “bad” replies, Bluesky believes these updates could foster a healthier and more respectful social climate.
The platform’s broader aim appears to be giving users greater control over their experience — from what they see in their feed to how they engage in dialogue. This aligns with Bluesky’s existing tools that already allow customisation of notifications and moderation filters.
Balancing relevance and openness
While some have welcomed Bluesky’s efforts to promote positive interactions, others have raised concerns about potential drawbacks. Critics suggest that focusing too heavily on “social proximity” could reinforce so-called “filter bubbles,” where users are exposed mainly to like-minded opinions.
This approach may reduce visible conflict and exposure to harmful content, but could also limit opportunities for constructive debate. Some users have also criticised Bluesky for what they see as insufficient action against accounts that allegedly breach community guidelines. Under the new system, those in separate social neighbourhoods might not even encounter each other, effectively isolating differing viewpoints.
Nonetheless, the ongoing tests indicate that Bluesky is continuing to evolve its approach to online moderation and user engagement. Whether the combination of a private dislike button and proximity-based feeds can strike the right balance between relevance and openness remains to be seen.
