How to Decrease Switching Costs and Make People Move to Bluesky: A Path to Break the Cycle of “Enshittification”

Date: 21-10-2025

1. Network Effects Are Asymmetric — But They Can Be Rebalanced

One of the biggest hurdles to switching platforms is the asymmetry of network effects. Even if you can quickly rebuild your immediate circle on Bluesky, you're still missing out on the full network you've cultivated over years on platforms like Twitter or Facebook. That includes:

  • Extended weak ties (professional contacts, niche communities)
  • A rich content history (years of posts, photos, memories)
  • Algorithmic familiarity (a feed that “knows” you)
  • Integrated services (events, marketplaces, groups, and direct messages)

Yet, Bluesky, is built on the AT Protocol, which introduces a new kind of network effect — one that is interoperable, portable, and decentralized. By allowing users to port their identities (DIDs) and social graphs between platforms, the AT Protocol breaks the monopoly of centralized platforms and reduces the friction of switching.

How can we leverage this? By building tools and services that help users migrate their social graphs — including posts, followers, and even content — to Bluesky. This is not just a technical challenge, but a user experience one. The more seamless the transition, the more likely people are to leave their current platforms.

Create regulatory pressure to give us our data in machine-readable formats like XML or JSON, backed up so we can download it from various corporate social media platforms. Build tools on Bluesky to upload it with minimal friction.

2. The Coordination Problem: We Need a Movement, Not Just an App

Switching platforms isn’t just about you — it’s about everyone. Until a critical mass of users migrates, the new platform feels empty or less valuable. This is the chicken-and-egg problem of networked platforms.

But what if we create a coordinated movement? Imagine a mass exodus — like the 2023 Twitter exodus — but this time, organized, informed, and supported by a collective effort to reclaim our digital lives.

Bluesky has the potential to be the next platform in the evolution of social media — one that is user-owned, decentralized, and transparent. To make that possible, we need to:

  • Educate users on the risks of staying on dominant platforms.
  • Create incentives for migration (e.g., better tools, better privacy, more control).
  • Build a community that supports and encourages the transition.

This isn’t just about making it easier to switch — it’s about making it worth it.

3. Data and Identity Lock-In: A Systemic Problem with a Technological Solution

Your digital identity — your username, follower count, verification status, and post history — is often non-transferable. This means that even if you want to leave, you’re starting from zero in terms of reach and credibility.

But the AT Protocol is designed to change that. By allowing account portability and identity portability, it enables users to move their digital identity across platforms — a critical step in reducing switching costs.

To make this a reality, we need to build tools that help users export and import their data, including:

  • Posts
  • Followers
  • Content history
  • Verified accounts
  • Custom feeds and algorithms

This is the bridge between the old and the new — and it's a bridge worth building, one that corporate platforms won’t allow.

Teach the youth — especially Gen Z — the value of bridging the gap. When you switch platforms, you risk losing not just your content, but also the connections you’ve built. Choose wisely. Build on platforms that are sustainable, and stay with them. Your voice, your work, and your community deserve a space that lasts — not just a fleeting trend.

4. Habit and Cognitive Load: The Invisible Cost of Staying

Switching platforms requires learning new UIs, norms, and behaviors. Even small frictions add up, and people tend to stick with what’s familiar — even if it’s worse.

But Bluesky’s design is different. It’s built on open standards, user control, and transparency. These are not just features — they’re values that can redefine what it means to be online.

To reduce cognitive load and make the transition smoother, we can:

  • Create user-friendly onboarding tools
  • Offer tutorials and guides
  • Build a supportive community that helps new users feel welcome

The goal isn’t to make the switch easy — it’s to make it meaningful and empowering.

5. The Real Issue: Enshittification Relies on More Than Just Switching Costs

While high switching costs are a key enabler of enshittification, they’re not the only factor. Platforms also rely on:

  • Monopoly power (lack of real competition)
  • Regulatory capture or absence (no rules preventing degradation)
  • Behavioral addiction design (keeping you engaged even when you’re unhappy)

To truly break the cycle of enshittification, we need a multi-pronged approach:

  • Technical interoperability (like AT Protocol or ActivityPub)
  • Regulatory pressure (e.g., the EU’s DMA forcing data portability)
  • Critical mass migration events (like the 2023 Twitter exodus)

Bluesky is not just a platform — it’s a movement toward a more open, decentralized, and user-centric internet.

The Way Forward: An Optimistic Vision

The path to reducing switching costs and encouraging people to move to Bluesky is not just about making it easier to switch — it’s about redefining what it means to be online. It’s about empowering users, breaking monopolies, and building a future where we control our digital lives.

Yes, the current system has deep roots. But the AT Protocol gives us a new foundation to build on. With tools, education, community, and regulation, we can turn the tide.

So let’s stop asking, “Why would people leave?” and start asking, “How can we help them leave?”

The future of the internet isn’t just about staying — it’s about reclaiming it.

Bluesky is not the end of the story. It’s the beginning of a new chapter.