To clarify: we’ve been exploring ideas here and putting out ideas, not declaring fixed positions. I appreciate the points you’ve raised — they’re helping shape how we think about this space. Thanks for pushing the conversation.

Imagining better ways matters. But it’s also fair to ask how we bridge from today’s realities to those ideals — especially when infrastructure has real costs. We’re here to explore that middle space. Thanks for the dialogue.

Even Tumblr needs to keep the lights on — often through ads, data, or deals like this: www.businessinsider.com/tumblr-selli...
No platform is “free” — the challenge is designing models that don’t quietly profit at the community’s expense and it’s difficult to do if your app owes someone else money.

Platforms already extract value from every post, whether we call it labor or not. The real question: should we keep returning to platforms that profit off our words — and who gets to decide what that value is? Currently, Bluesky gets value from this conversation and every byte we add to their stack.

There’s room for deeper critique, and we welcome it. But the question remains: how can a public space remain open and equitable while allowing sustainable participation for those who create value within it?

Maybe the problem isn’t profit — it’s who controls it. If creators earn from trust, not reach, follower farming loses its grip. Shift the incentives: reward credibility over virality, and public spaces stay public.

another nice diagram outlining the identity system bluesky uses under the hood, DIDs:

Great points! We’re part of the C2PA group & working with Cheqd’s trusted DID system to make verifiable IDs widely recognized. Our API will let platforms filter users by trusted credentials, content, and more.

If you’d like to be an early access user, you can sign up at creator-signup.ov.box! 👈🏼

Agree—crypto as currency has flaws, but have you heard of DIDs?
With OriginVault, creators can attach portable, verified IDs to their work, ensuring authenticity. DIDs also enable trusted communication, letting real people interact with accountability. See @cheqd.bsky.social! Combines IDs + crypto.

Creators don't need NFTs as tokenized IDs for transactions. For this you can use decentralized identifiers. Creators can simply declare their rights, prove legitimacy and attribution, and provide content offerings via smart contracts to facilitate content transactions.

Agree—crypto as currency has flaws, but have you heard of DIDs?
With OriginVault, creators can attach portable, verified IDs to their work, ensuring authenticity. DIDs also enable trusted communication, letting real people interact with accountability. See @cheqd.bsky.social! Combines IDs + crypto.