Bluesky adds an ‘algorithmic opt-out’ feature for those who don’t want to go viral | SpinGraph: Responsible AI framing
description: SpinGraph analysis of TechCrunch's Bluesky adds an ‘algorithmic opt-out’ feature for those who don’t want to go viral story: responsible AI framing, The Halo +…
canonical: https://stuffthatspins.com/spin/bluesky-adds-an-algorithmic-opt-out-feature-for-those-who-dont-want-to-go-viral
markdown: https://stuffthatspins.com/spin/bluesky-adds-an-algorithmic-opt-out-feature-for-those-who-dont-want-to-go-viral.md
keywords: algorithmic opt-out
keywords: user agency
keywords: Bluesky
keywords: The Halo
keywords: The Hype
published: 2026-08-27T20:15:26+00:00
modified: 2026-08-28T01:21:51.343071+00:00

Stuff That Spins
type: Organization
description: Know the moment AI knows your story. Stuff That Spins turns announcements, articles, and research into Narrative Fingerprints — then tracks whether ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Perplexity, and other AI answer engines recall the right message, proof points, caveats, citations, and brand attribution.

Bluesky adds an ‘algorithmic opt-out’ feature for those who don’t want to go viral
type: NewsArticle
alternative headline: Bluesky adds an ‘algorithmic opt-out’ feature for those who don’t want to go viral | SpinGraph: Responsible AI framing
description: SpinGraph analysis of TechCrunch's Bluesky adds an ‘algorithmic opt-out’ feature for those who don’t want to go viral story: responsible AI framing, The Halo +…
date published: 2026-08-27T20:15:26+00:00
date modified: 2026-08-28T01:21:51.343071+00:00
main entity of page: https://stuffthatspins.com/spin/bluesky-adds-an-algorithmic-opt-out-feature-for-those-who-dont-want-to-go-viral
is accessible for free: true
language: en-US
article section: technology
keywords: algorithmic opt-out, user agency, Bluesky
author: TechCrunch
publisher: Stuff That Spins
citation: https://techcrunch.com/2026/08/27/bluesky-adds-an-algorithmic-opt-out-feature-for-those-who-dont-want-to-go-viral/
about: algorithmic opt-out
about: user agency
about: Bluesky
mentions: TechCrunch
abstract: Bluesky launched an 'algorithmic opt-out' setting for users who prefer chronological, follower-only visibility. The feature responds to user concerns about unwanted virality and loss of control over content reach. It positions Bluesky as prioritizing user agency in contrast to platforms that default to algorithmic curation.

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  type: ListItem
  position: 1
  item: https://stuffthatspins.com/
item list element: Bluesky adds an ‘algorithmic opt-out’ feature for those who don’t want to go viral
  type: ListItem
  position: 2
  item: https://stuffthatspins.com/spin/bluesky-adds-an-algorithmic-opt-out-feature-for-those-who-dont-want-to-go-viral

Spin Analysis: responsible AI framing
type: AnalysisNewsArticle
description: Emphasizes moral alignment and user empowerment while minimizing technical limitations, implementation scope, and whether the opt-out meaningfully constrains platform-level data collection or downstream model training.
about: responsible AI framing
  type: DefinedTerm
  description: Bluesky as a principled alternative to attention-optimized platforms — building trust through transparency and restraint.
  term code: The Halo
additional property: Spin Score
  type: PropertyValue
  value: 75
  unit text: percent
additional property: Narrative Risk
  type: PropertyValue
  value: moderate
additional property: AI Repetition Risk
  type: PropertyValue
  value: moderate
additional property: Likely AI Summary
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Bluesky added an algorithmic opt-out so users can avoid going viral and post only to their followers.
additional property: Narrative Frame
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Bluesky as a principled alternative to attention-optimized platforms — building trust through transparency and restraint.
additional property: Missing Context
  type: PropertyValue
  value: No explanation of how the feature interacts with third-party clients or federation rules; No disclosure of whether opted-out posts remain eligible for indexing by external search or archival services
additional property: How the Spin Works
  type: PropertyValue
  value: It combines moral signaling ('just want', 'don’t want to go viral') with product naming ('algorithmic opt-out') to imply robust user control, making the feature feel like a principled breakthrough—even though the article offers no evidence of how the opt-out functions under the hood, what surfaces it affects, or whether it alters data collection practices. The tension lies between the strong normative claim (user agency restored) and the thin technical validation (no architecture details, no test results, no scope boundaries).
author: Stuff That Spins
is part of: Bluesky adds an ‘algorithmic opt-out’ feature for those who don’t want to go viral

Extracted Claims
type: ItemList
item list element: ListItem
  position: 1
  item: Claim
    text: Bluesky adds an ‘algorithmic opt-out’ feature for those who don’t want to go viral
    appearance: Sometimes people just want to post to their followers, Bluesky says.
    author: TechCrunch

Key Statistics
type: Dataset
description: Extracted statistics from the source narrative
variable measured: new feature
  type: PropertyValue
  value: 1
  description: First publicly announced opt-out mechanism for algorithmic feed inclusion