GoKawiilFree Software Foundation joins Bluesky despite nonfree JavaScript concerns
The FSF announced it created a Bluesky account this week to reach a wider audience, even though it won't recommend others sign up for the platform. The organization cited Bluesky's registration page and web client relying on nonfree JavaScript as reasons it can't endorse the service the way it does Mastodon or PeerTube.
GoKawiil's interpretation of the reporting above, not reported fact.
The move highlights a tension for free software advocates between ideological purity and practical outreach, as major platforms increasingly gatekeep access through proprietary code. It also underscores that Bluesky, despite open-sourcing much of its codebase, still falls short of the fediverse's decentralized, freely-licensed standards embodied by ActivityPub-based services.
- FSF joined Bluesky for outreach but stops short of endorsing sign-ups due to nonfree JavaScript on the registration page and web client.
- Bluesky uses its own AT protocol rather than ActivityPub, making it technically distinct from the Mastodon/PeerTube fediverse.
- Self-hosting a Bluesky Personal Data Server is possible but far more complex than running lightweight ActivityPub servers.
Raspberry Pi 5 Single Board Computer — If the FSF's stance has you itching to self-host, a Raspberry Pi 5 is a fun, low-fuss way to spin up your own Mastodon, Akkoma, or even a Bluesky Personal Data Server at home. It sips power, runs plain Linux, and puts your social presence on hardware you actually control.
See Raspberry Pi 5 Single Board Computer on Amazon → Affiliate link — we may earn a commission on purchases, at no extra cost to you. Product picked by AI based on this article; it is not a tested recommendation.Source: news.slashdot.org — Posted, 2026-09-05
Published there as: “FSF is Now on Bluesky - But Won't Advocate Signing Up Due to Nonfree JavaScript”
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