Nowadays, it seems that every social media platform is grappling with the issue of unsolicited comments from strangers, often referred to as the ‘reply guy’ dilemma. You might share a personal post that resonates with your audience, and as soon as it garners traction, numerous unfamiliar voices pop up to challenge your choices or belittle your light-hearted remarks. Thankfully, Bluesky has stepped up to help users tackle this challenge effectively.

The platform’s moderation capabilities are some of the most robust seen across social media services, and with its recent update (version 1.98), Bluesky is enhancing these features further to mitigate instances of harassment. A standout addition is the ability to limit replies to only your followers, significantly minimizing the potential negative repercussions that can accompany viral content.

How to Limit Replies to Followers on Bluesky

Credit: Pranay Parab

There are two straightforward methods to restrict replies on Bluesky. The first involves navigating to any of your posts and selecting the Everybody can reply option beside the post date. This prompts a pop-up where you can choose Your followers and click Save. While Bluesky tends to foster a friendly community, this feature can be useful if your post catches an exceptionally broad audience and invites unsolicited feedback.

The second method allows for a more streamlined approach. You can access a newly added settings page available in the 1.98 update, which offers the capability to set your reply restrictions for all future posts. Simply select Settings from the left side of Bluesky’s desktop interface (on the app, tap the menu in the top-left corner and choose Settings). From there, navigate to Moderation > Interaction settings and specify your preferred reply settings for all new content. Although you can establish a general preference, adjustments can still be made on a case-by-case basis if you wish to engage with a wider audience on particular topics.

Additional Updates on Bluesky

Credit: Pranay Parab

This latest update brings several noteworthy improvements to the search functionality. Users now have the ability to visit any Bluesky profile and search through past posts easily. For example, one can navigate to this Bluesky profile, click the three-dot menu in the upper right, and select Search posts. Simply type in a term, such as “iPhone,” in the search bar to locate relevant posts. This feature is available across all user profiles on the platform.

Additions also include minor enhancements to the search interface, alongside the introduction of translation support for Interlingua.