Bluesky, the open-source alternative to X (FKA Twitter), could soon receive major changes regarding the handling of user data for AI training. The app also recently got an update with significant improvements. Now you can upload longer videos than before, among other things.
Bluesky will allow users to choose whether their data is used for generative AI training
In the age of artificial intelligence, the data available on the internet is a key resource. This is true even for social media data, as AI platforms don’t rely solely on complex textbooks. Companies also turn to social media content to improve their products’ capabilities.
Last year, there was some controversy surrounding Bluesky after it was discovered that user data was being used to train AI platforms. Many users who moved from X/Twitter initially felt their data was safe from such practices on Bluesky, given the company’s promises. Bluesky stated that it does not use user data or content to train AI. However, although the firm has kept its promise, it cannot prevent third-party AI companies from using your content.
If you’re not aware, Bluesky is not only open-source but also decentralized. The very nature of the platform means that all posts are available in a public feed. That said, Bluesky CEO Jay Graber said the company is working on a framework that will allow people to decide how their data is used for AI training. That means folks could choose how much of their data is used in generative AI—or to not be used at all.
“We really believe in user choice,” Graber said. “It could be something similar to how websites specify whether they want to be scraped by search engines or not,” she added.
There’s no ETA yet for the rollout of user data handling options for AI training in Bluesky. Hopefully, more news will emerge soon.
New update allows uploading videos of up to three minutes
In related news, the Bluesky app just got its v1.99 update. The most notable improvement is the option to upload videos of up to three minutes. Previously, the app limited the maximum video length to 60 seconds. This limit was one of the reasons apps like Reelo generated so much interest.
The company also added a separate inbox for message requests from unknown users. This will make it easier to filter messages from your known contacts and prevent your inbox from becoming a mess. The options to mute accounts directly from posts and report content are now more user-friendly. Additionally, the tablet UI has been optimized.
Lastly, the Trending Topics feature will support more languages in the near future. Currently, it only works in English.
