Bluesky plans to introduce payments in the coming months, a first step in its strategy to make money without relying on advertising. CEO Toni Schneider and COO Rose Wang outlined the plans Thursday at TechCrunch Disrupt, explaining how the company hopes to build on the commerce and fundraising activity already happening on its decentralized social network. He said, while on stage, that he was surprised by the reaction to his appointment, with some users joking that it marked the beginning of the end for the platform.
Those comments reflected fears that a leadership change would bring unwanted changes to Bluesky. Schneider said he understands that users can leave Bluesky for another platform if the company introduces features or changes they dislike, a reality that he said keeps the leadership team accountable as it prepares to introduce monetization in the coming months. The executives argued that advertising isn’t the only viable business model for a social network.
And I kind of think of it as like feudal society where we’re working for a few landlords and they dictate everything, and then we have to pay up our dues as tariffs.” Bluesky aims to give users ownership of their digital identities and control over their networks while creating a more open internet where value and revenue can flow directly to the people who generate them.
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