Bluesky has reached a new stage in its development by introducing a feature that many users of mainstream social platforms have long considered essential — the ability to locate and connect with people they already know. Until now, this simple connectivity function, which sits alongside common features such as notifications and bookmarks, had been conspicuously missing from the up‑and‑coming network. Yet, in implementing this long‑awaited addition, Bluesky seeks to differentiate itself from competitive services by addressing one of the most pressing concerns in digital communication today: the preservation of privacy. The company asserts that its method for finding friends is intentionally structured to protect personal information, ensuring that discovery never comes at the expense of security or trust.
The new “Find Friends” capability, which Bluesky describes as being “privacy‑first by design,” stands in deliberate contrast to the more invasive or carelessly executed friend‑finding systems that have appeared elsewhere across the tech landscape. To use this feature, individuals must first verify ownership of their phone number — a process designed to confirm identity and prevent impersonation. Afterward, they may choose to upload their contact lists. The system then compares this information using a highly controlled matching protocol, alerting a user only when mutual participation occurs — in other words, when both parties have each other saved as contacts and have likewise opted into the program. This cautious step‑by‑step process ensures that no one can simply mine or search through others’ phone numbers without consent, preserving a genuine sense of autonomy in how social links are formed.
Bluesky outlines several principles that make its version distinct from the approaches commonly used by its competitors. First and foremost, connection is only possible when both individuals voluntarily engage. Users will only see one another if they have reciprocally listed each other in their address books and both have activated the Find Friends feature. For those who never opt in, their presence remains invisible within this mechanism — meaning that colleagues, acquaintances, or casual contacts cannot locate them through the feature unless the relationship is mutual and confirmed.
Another critical layer of Blauesky’s privacy strategy is the mandatory phone‑number verification that precedes any comparison of contacts. This safeguard acts as a deterrent to malicious actors who might otherwise upload large databases of random numbers in an attempt to identify who is using the platform. By requiring proof of ownership before any matching begins, Bluesky creates a strong barrier against these data‑harvesting behaviors.
In addition, the company emphasizes the security of the contact data itself. Should anything unexpected occur — such as a bug, breach, or system vulnerability — the design minimizes the risk of exposure. Phone numbers are stored in an encrypted format known as “hashed pairs,” where each user’s number is mathematically combined with every contact’s number. This intricate cryptographic process substantially raises the difficulty of reversing the information to discover the original numbers. To heighten resilience further, the encryption keys responsible for securing these pairs are maintained separately on protected hardware security modules, physically isolated from the primary database where the hashed information resides.
Equally significant is Bluesky’s policy granting full control to the user. At any point, one may choose to remove previously uploaded contact information and disengage entirely from the feature. The opt‑out process is swift, reflecting the platform’s commitment to personal choice and reversible consent — principles that distinguish ethical data stewardship from simple compliance.
Initially, this new capability is being rolled out to a limited audience, targeting users of the Bluesky mobile application across a selection of 13 countries: Australia, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Those interested can access it through the app’s Settings menu by selecting “find friends from contacts.” The platform also allows participants to invite others to join Bluesky; however, all invitations are sent directly from the user’s own messaging number, rather than from the app itself, preserving transparency and avoiding automated promotional outreach.
Bluesky acknowledges that early adopters may initially perceive a lack of visible results. During the first stages, it is possible that a user will see no matches at all; however, as more individuals enable the feature and upload their contact data, the network of recognized friends will steadily expand. In time, this measured and user‑centric approach is expected to foster organic growth grounded not in invasive algorithms, but in voluntary, secure connection. In essence, Bluesky’s latest advancement signals its continuing intention to redefine how digital communities can thrive without forcing individuals to compromise their privacy or their confidence in the platforms they use.
Sourse: https://www.theverge.com/news/846175/bluesky-find-your-friends-privacy
