Bluesky Finds Friends Privately with New Opt-In Contact Feature

The social media app Bluesky has launched a new way to find friends. The feature connects you with people from your phone’s contacts. It started rolling out to users on Wednesday. This move directly challenges platforms like X and Threads.

Bluesky emphasizes its commitment to user privacy with this tool. The company stated it developed a “fundamentally more secure approach.” According to their announcement, traditional contact matching has often led to data misuse.

How Bluesky’s Approach Differs from Past Social Media Tactics

Many social apps have used contact lists for growth. They often sent automated invites to non-users. This practice created unwanted spam messages for many people.

Bluesky’s system requires explicit, mutual opt-in to work. Both users must have each other’s numbers saved. The app will not send any automated invites to your contacts.

Invites must be sent manually by a user. This prevents the spam-like experience of past platforms. The goal is to build connections users actually want.

The Secure Technology Protecting User Data

Bluesky detailed the security measures behind the feature. Users must first verify their own phone number via SMS. This step prevents bad actors from randomly searching for profiles.

Uploaded contact information is stored as encrypted, hashed data pairs. The encryption key is stored separately from the main database. This makes reversing the data extremely difficult, the company claims.

The technical framework was shared with security experts before launch. Users can delete their uploaded contact data at any time. This gives individuals full control over their personal information.

The new feature represents a significant shift in how social platforms handle personal data for networking. Bluesky’s privacy-first friend finder could set a new industry standard if users adopt it widely.

A quick knowledge drop for you:

How does Bluesky’s Find Friends feature protect my privacy?

It uses mutual opt-in and encryption. Both you and a contact must have each other’s number saved and use the feature. Data is hashed and stored with a separate security key.

Will Bluesky spam my contacts with invites?

No. The company states it will not send automated invites. Any invite must be sent manually by a user who chooses to do so.

Can I stop someone from finding me through this?

Yes. If you do not verify your phone number and upload your contacts, you cannot be found via this method. It requires active participation from both parties.

Where is the Find Friends feature available?

It is initially rolling out in over a dozen countries. These include the United States, United Kingdom, Japan, and several nations across Europe.

Why did Bluesky share its technical plans early?

The company published an RFC for security community feedback. This is a common practice to improve a system’s design before a public launch.