Free Our Feeds Campaign Aims to Protect Bluesky's Open Tech Ecosystem
Published on 1/14/2025 | 4 min read
Published on 1/14/2025 | 4 min read
As influential billionaires like Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg continue to shape the social media landscape, a collective of global tech entrepreneurs and advocates has launched a groundbreaking campaign. Dubbed “Free Our Feeds,” the initiative seeks to safeguard the open nature of Bluesky’s underlying technology—the AT Protocol—and foster an interoperable social media ecosystem free from the grip of any single corporation or individual.
The primary objective of Free Our Feeds is to establish a public-interest foundation tasked with funding the development of interoperable social platforms built on the AT Protocol. This approach ensures the resilience of these platforms, even if Bluesky itself were to fall under the control of billionaires. Additionally, the foundation plans to build independent infrastructure to support these platforms and safeguard the AT Protocol’s accessibility.
This initiative’s launch comes at a pivotal time. Just last week, Meta revealed plans to ease content moderation policies and discontinue fact-checking—a move critics argue exacerbates the company’s already fraught content ecosystem. Meta’s controversial ownership structure grants Mark Zuckerberg significant control through super-voting shares, effectively insulating him from shareholder accountability. Meanwhile, Bluesky has recently witnessed an influx of users migrating from X (formerly Twitter), following Elon Musk’s use of the platform to promote politically charged campaigns, including Donald Trump’s presidential bid and Germany’s far-right AfD party.
Free Our Feeds has garnered support from prominent figures across various fields, including actor Mark Ruffalo, filmmaker Alex Winter, author Cory Doctorow, Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales, and Mozilla Foundation president Mark Surman. Robin Berjon, an independent technologist and one of the campaign’s nine appointed “custodians,” emphasized the importance of treating digital infrastructure as a public good.
If you think of our road network, imagine it being owned by one or two billionaires who could control access, levy taxes, or dictate rules. That’s essentially what’s happening with digital infrastructure, Berjon explained. Our aim is to ensure this infrastructure remains governed in the public interest, preserving its accessibility for everyone.
Although Bluesky’s mission aligns with the campaign’s ethos, Free Our Feeds acknowledges the potential vulnerability of the company to venture capital pressures. To mitigate this risk, the campaign seeks to provide users with alternative, independently supported platforms. Bluesky has expressed support for the initiative’s goal of safeguarding the AT Protocol from monopolistic control.
The campaign has set a fundraising goal of $30 million over three years, with an immediate target of $4 million. These funds will enable the hiring of a dedicated team and the construction of independent infrastructure.
The purpose of this infrastructure is to ensure the AT Protocol—currently driving Bluesky—remains open and accessible, said Berjon. Although Bluesky has open-sourced the protocol, its current dominance in the space leaves it vulnerable. Our aim is to create a counterbalance by operating compatible infrastructure that supports the broader network. This ensures resilience and inclusivity, even beyond Bluesky’s direct involvement.
Berjon also highlighted the protocol’s versatility, envisioning its application beyond Bluesky to power other types of social platforms.
Using the AT Protocol, developers could create alternatives to Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, or entirely new concepts,” he noted. “By leveraging existing user accounts and interoperable infrastructure, these platforms can innovate without reinventing foundational elements like user authentication or data storage.
Despite its ambitious goals, Free Our Feeds acknowledges the challenges ahead. Establishing the proposed foundation and infrastructure will require substantial financial support and collaboration from developers, advocates, and the broader tech community. However, Berjon remains optimistic about the campaign’s ability to mobilize resources and deliver meaningful results.
The team’s timeline includes establishing the foundation by year-end. Should the campaign fail to meet its fundraising goals, Berjon has pledged to return all contributions.
We’re committed to transparency and accountability, he assured.
Free Our Feeds represents a critical step in challenging the growing concentration of power in the hands of a few tech giants. By advocating for open digital infrastructure, the initiative hopes to foster a diverse and resilient social media ecosystem that prioritizes public interest over profit.
As the campaign progresses, its success could serve as a blueprint for other movements aiming to democratize digital infrastructure. By ensuring the AT Protocol remains open and fostering innovation in social media, Free Our Feeds has the potential to reshape the online landscape—paving the way for a more equitable and user-driven future.