Exploring the New Frontiers of Video Sharing: Bluesky and Flipboard’s Surf App
The digital landscape is ever-evolving, and with the recent ban on TikTok, new opportunities are emerging for other platforms to capture the spotlight. One such opportunity is being seized by Bluesky, a social network that recently launched a custom video feed on its platform. Not far behind, Flipboard’s innovative app, Surf, is jumping on the bandwagon to introduce a video feed that harnesses the power of decentralized services like Mastodon and Bluesky.
Introducing Surf’s Custom Video Feed
Initially, Surf’s video feed was a blend of video posts from Bluesky’s “trending video” feed, along with content tagged with #SkyTok. However, the Surf team has ambitious plans to tailor this experience further by personalizing the feed for each user. This strategic move aims to set Surf apart from Bluesky’s own offerings, showcasing how third-party developers can create unique feeds for social networks.
“This is just the latest example of how custom feeds on the social web can be used for all sorts of use cases — video sharing, photo sharing, discussion groups, messaging, etc. — that have been the exclusive domain of the large walled gardens,”
— Flipboard CEO Mike McCue via TechCrunch
Personalization and User-Centric Enhancements
Surf is currently in its beta phase and is inviting interested testers to sign up. As part of its personalization efforts, Surf plans to integrate users’ Bluesky Following timelines into its video feed. This adaptation will allow users to view videos exclusively from accounts they follow, filtered to showcase only video content.
Following Bluesky’s launch of a native custom video feed with a TikTok-inspired interface, Surf quickly adopted this design for its own user interface. If you’re not seeing this feature on Bluesky just yet, a few app restarts might do the trick. For those who can’t access Surf due to its beta status, the customized video feed is accessible directly through Bluesky as well.
Diverse Video Feeds and Cross-Platform Integration
Surf is more than just a simple video-sharing tool; it allows for the creation of diverse feeds tailored to various interests. As an example, Mike McCue has developed a “BookTok” style feed within Surf that highlights users discussing books through videos. This particular feed can be accessed via both Surf and Bluesky, expanding its reach across multiple platforms.
- Videos tagged with #BookTok and #BookSky are included in this specialized feed.
- The integration extends beyond Bluesky to encompass platforms like YouTube, Threads, and Mastodon.
This cross-platform capability is powered by protocols such as ActivityPub (utilized by Mastodon) and AT Protocol (employed by Bluesky), as well as RSS.
The Future of Social Video Feeds
As we witness these developments unfold, it becomes evident that custom feeds are unlocking new avenues for creativity and interaction in the social media sphere. With platforms like Surf leading the charge in innovation, users can look forward to more personalized and dynamic experiences in their social media journeys.
