Bluesky, a decentralized and open-source social media platform, is creating a system that will give users more control over how their data is used to train artificial intelligence (AI). The initiative comes after the site was criticized for using user data even after vowing not to use user-created content to train AI itself. The issue is that Bluesky’s decentralized nature means that everything that is posted is out in the open, and it is difficult to prevent third-party AI companies from using this material for training purposes.
The outrage began when it was discovered that Bluesky users’ data was being utilized to train AI models by third parties. The majority of users, who had switched from X (formerly Twitter) to Bluesky, anticipated their data to be safer with Bluesky’s emphasis on decentralization and user privacy. Although Bluesky does not use user data for AI model training, it cannot stop third-party companies from accessing and utilizing publicly available content.
In response to these concerns, Bluesky CEO Jay Graber was clear that the platform was committed to user autonomy and openness. The firm is looking into an opt-out or opt-in framework where users are allowed to decide whether their information can be utilized for training AI. This is in the manner of websites and their use of robots.txt file to figure out if search engines will crawl and index their content. If used, this system would permit users to permit or deny AI companies from scooping up their posts for training.
This shift aligns with the growing need for morally sound AI conduct, in which corporations are prompted to seek explicit permission before utilizing user-generated material for training. Bluesky’s stance is opposite to X’s, which recently altered its privacy policy to allow user content for AI training use, and received a negative response with additional user flight to Bluesky.
Bluesky’s commitment to user privacy has made it a more appealing choice than sites such as X, especially for artists and creatives who are increasingly wary of how their data is being used. Its popularity explosion, with over 32 million users within just two years, attests to the site’s desirability as a privacy-focused social media experience.
The recent uproar regarding user data and training AI models is a sign of bigger ethical issues concerning ownership and consent for data in the digital space. As AI technology improves, platforms must sift through these issues by engaging their user base and openly addressing concerns. Bluesky’s move in giving users more control over their information can become a trend that decentralized platforms adopt in finding equilibrium between innovation on the tech side and regard for user privacy.
