Bluesky adds a ‘followers only’ reply option

Social networking startup Bluesky, a rival to X, on Monday rolled out a new update to its app that now includes the recently promised addition of a “followers only” option for restricting replies to your posts, as well as a “search posts” feature for user profiles.

While the former helps differentiate the app from competitors like X and Meta’s Threads, the latter adopts a feature similar to the one that X (then called Twitter) had added back in 2021.

The new “followers only” option is a welcome addition for many on Bluesky as it lets them limit their conversations to connections of their own choosing.

The setting is particularly useful when content goes viral and attracts attention beyond your usual follower base. In many cases, this can lead to “content collapse,” where people who don’t understand the original post’s meaning start to chime in, cluttering your replies and piling on. This has been a common problem on Twitter/X, and one Bluesky hopes to now avoid.

By comparison, X users can choose between a set of reply controls, including “Everyone,” “Accounts you follow,” “Verified accounts,” and “Only accounts you mention.” You also can post to specific Communities you’re a member of, which also limits their reach.

On Threads, users can pick between “Anyone,” “Profiles you follow,” and “Mentioned only.”

Bluesky users who want to enable the new feature can adjust their default setting for all their future posts in the app’s Settings section under Moderation > Interaction Settings.

In addition, the newly added search feature on a user’s profile can help you find a particular post when you know the person who authored it.

To access both new features, you’ll need to update your app to version 1.98. (In the case of the reply options, if a user posting their reply who doesn’t follow you hasn’t also updated their app, the reply may still go through — but it won’t be displayed to the original poster if they’ve enabled “followers only.”)

The app’s update also includes a few minor changes, including improvements to search and other fixes.