Bluesky, a competitor to X, is launching its latest release, version 1.52, which includes several changes aimed at enhancing the safety and security of its microblogging platform. This Jack Dorsey-backed startup is introducing the ability for users to modify and verify their email addresses as part of a broader initiative to enhance account security and authentication on the platform. Additionally, the app will now issue warnings to users about potentially misleading links by flagging them.
However, it’s important to note that this warning system for links is not an advanced moderation policy but rather a way to identify links in users’ posts that do not align with the accompanying text. In such cases, the app will display a “possibly misleading” warning to alert users that the linked content may not be what they expect.
One of the major security improvements revolves around email verification. Bluesky plans to prompt users to verify their email addresses within the app in the coming days. Moreover, users who have lost access to their email accounts or made typing errors during sign-up will now have the option to update their email addresses in the app’s settings. Following verification, users looking to make further account changes will need to provide a confirmation code sent to their verified email address to confirm any modifications.
This enhancement represents a significant stride in making Bluesky more competitive with larger networks like X, which offer more robust security controls.
While these security updates stand out as the most prominent changes for the burgeoning social network, the update also includes other improvements. For example, the app will now prioritize showing content from people you follow in its user suggestions when using features like search and suggestions. On mobile, users will be able to switch between accounts by long-pressing their profile picture in the footer. An update to the image viewer on Android will facilitate easier panning and zooming, and on the web, users can now select alt text when viewing images. The update also includes various bug fixes and enhancements.
Despite remaining in invite-only status for the time being, Bluesky has garnered popularity as a Twitter/X competitor, stemming from its origins as a Twitter-incubated project. Last month, the company achieved a milestone of 1 million registered users who have signed up for the service, although this number still pales in comparison to Mastodon’s 1.8 million monthly active users and Threads’ 100 million-plus registered users. Earlier this summer, Bluesky secured its first seed funding of $8 million and announced plans to monetize the service by offering custom domains.
However, the timeline for when the network will become publicly accessible remains uncertain, as consumer demand continues to outpace available access. Notably, the app reached a million downloads before reaching a million users, underscoring the significant interest in the app even among those unable to log in.
