Bluesky launches group chats, as company shifts focus to community features

On Thursday, Bluesky unveiled its new group chat feature, marking a strategic shift to prioritize community interactions within its social network. This move comes in response to increased competition from larger platforms like X, which has recently expanded its chat functionalities with the launch of a standalone app, XChat. The latest version of Bluesky (v1.124) introduces group chats that allow up to 50 participants, providing a more private space for users to connect. While this limit is smaller than X's capability of accommodating 1,000 members, it represents an important step toward Bluesky's aim of fostering closer-knit communities rather than merely serving as a platform for broad public engagement. Currently, Bluesky boasts around 44.8 million registered users, significantly trailing behind X's 600 million monthly active users. To enhance its messaging capabilities, Bluesky had previously added support for messaging in 2024 and recently integrated encrypted chats through the third-party service Germ. Group chat creators now have the flexibility to manage participants and invite others via a shareable link, displayed as an embedded card within Bluesky posts. Participants also possess control over who can invite them to chat—options include everyone, only those they follow, or no one at all. Despite the introduction of these group chats, sharing media within them is not yet supported, as Bluesky aims to implement additional safety mechanisms and moderation systems. Alex Benzer, Bluesky’s head of product, shared insights into the company's vision for a more community-focused approach. He highlighted the importance of creating smaller, engaged spaces within the larger network, where users can delve deeper into shared interests. Furthermore, Bluesky plans to enhance its platform by enabling users to create and join communities, each with its own unique handle functioning as a URL. These communities can be public, invite-only, or private, offering a structure reminiscent of Facebook Groups or Reddit. As Bluesky pivots towards developing community features, it appears to be positioning itself as an alternative for users seeking more control over their online experiences, particularly as major platforms grapple with challenges like spam and user dissatisfaction. The recent announcement follows X's decision to discontinue its Communities feature due to low engagement, suggesting that Bluesky is keen to cater to users looking for a more tailored social networking experience. In addition to group chats, the update also introduces personalized QR codes for sharing profiles, aligning with trends seen in other social media applications.