Bluesky, the rapidly emerging social networking startup, is set to revolutionize user account verification. Built on open web principles as an alternative to Twitter/X, Bluesky is taking a unique approach that differs from existing services like Meta and X. In a recent livestream, the company revealed its plans and strategies for verification, sparking significant interest in the digital space.

Unlock a New Era of Account Verification with Bluesky

Bluesky's Custom Domain Verification

Currently, the only way to verify an account on Bluesky is by adopting a custom domain name. This option was introduced by the company last year, allowing users to establish a clear identity. For instance, the account @nytimes.com on Bluesky belongs to the real The New York Times publication. By using custom domains, Bluesky ensures that users can be easily identified and trusted.Moreover, Bluesky directly addresses impersonation issues as they arise. This proactive approach helps maintain the integrity of the platform and protects users from false identities.

Beyond Custom Domains: Multiple Verification Providers

Bluesky believes that custom domains may only be part of the solution for verification in the future. The company is considering a model where multiple verification providers coexist. As explained by CEO Jay Graber, "We could be a verification provider — and we might at some point (and also, no, I’m not sure when). But it would be something where you’re accessing through one app, and then there might be another app and there might be other services. And they can choose to trust us — the Bluesky team’s verification — or they could do their own. Or other people could do their own."This proposed system allows for greater diversity and flexibility in verification. Different entities can choose to verify users based on their own rules and policies. For example, a university could verify users as alumni, or a fan group like the Swifties could verify people as community members. These verification providers can be selective in who gets verified or offer more comprehensive services.

Challenges in Presenting Multiple Verifications

The CEO acknowledged that one of the challenges is how to present multiple verifications to the end user without causing confusion. The company needs to figure out how these verifications would appear, perhaps as badges. It also needs to ensure that other third-party Bluesky apps display them in the same way as the company's official client."We’re trying to design long-term for more applications [and] more services, beyond our own, to operate," noted Graber. This shows Bluesky's commitment to creating a comprehensive verification system that can adapt to various needs.

Growth and Future Plans

Bluesky's 20-person team has been working hard to keep up with the platform's growth spike. Since the U.S. presidential elections and other policy changes, users have been leaving Musk's X and joining Bluesky. In just a short period, Bluesky has added 8.7 million new users and now has over 22.7 million total users. This rapid growth has forced the company to focus on long-term plans.On the livestream, the team also discussed other long-term plans, such as designing Bluesky profiles to connect users to their broader web presence, similar to Linktree. However, due to the rapid growth, the company couldn't commit to a specific timeline for rolling out these features.In conclusion, Bluesky is poised to transform the way user account verification works. With its innovative approach and commitment to flexibility, it is likely to set a new standard in the digital world.