Twitter taps crypto developer to lead decentralized social media initiative Bluesky

Bluesky, the decentralized social media initiative unveiled by Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey at the end of 2019, has a project lead, according to a Monday announcement.

Jay Graber, a former software engineer for Zcash and Skuchain and the founder of social event startup Happening Inc., will spearhead the effort. Graber said in a tweet thread: "I look forward to partnering closely with Twitter and other companies as we embark on this journey. It won’t happen overnight, but we’ll share our progress along the way."

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Dorsey announced in December 2019 that the social media giant was funding a small group of developers to build Bluesky, which he described at the time as "a decentralized standard for social media." On its official website, the project's stated aim is "re-building the social web by connecting disconnected silos and returning control of the social experience to users." 

Graber said in a tweet that "my next step will be hiring for the bluesky team."

The 2019 announcement of Bluesky capped what was perhaps a controversial year for the company as it turned to account suspensions to fight misinformation — moves that subsequently fueled accusations of censorship. Less than a year after the Bluesky announcement, Dorsey appeared before a Senate committee alongside Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, who faced similar criticisms.