Twitter taps crypto developer to lead decentralized social media initiative Bluesky
Bluesky, the decentralized social media initiative unveiled by Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey at the end of 2019, has a project lead, according to a Monday announcement.
Jay Graber, a former software engineer for Zcash and Skuchain and the founder of social event startup Happening Inc., will spearhead the effort. Graber said in a tweet thread: "I look forward to partnering closely with Twitter and other companies as we embark on this journey. It won’t happen overnight, but we’ll share our progress along the way."
Dorsey announced in December 2019 that the social media giant was funding a small group of developers to build Bluesky, which he described at the time as "a decentralized standard for social media." On its official website, the project's stated aim is "re-building the social web by connecting disconnected silos and returning control of the social experience to users."
Graber said in a tweet that "my next step will be hiring for the bluesky team."
The 2019 announcement of Bluesky capped what was perhaps a controversial year for the company as it turned to account suspensions to fight misinformation — moves that subsequently fueled accusations of censorship. Less than a year after the Bluesky announcement, Dorsey appeared before a Senate committee alongside Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, who faced similar criticisms.