Following the TikTok ban that took effect on Sunday, the social network Bluesky has unleashed a new custom video feed, sparking a wave of innovation. Flipboard is leveraging this momentum with its latest app, Surf, designed for seamless exploration of the open social web and decentralized platforms like Mastodon and Bluesky. In a savvy move, Surf has now rolled out its own video feed.
Initially, Surf’s offering combined trendsetting video posts from Bluesky with content tagged #SkyTok. But the real game-changer is on the horizon: Surf aims to tailor this video experience to each user’s preferences soon. This personalized touch is set to make Surf’s feed stand out in a crowded market.
This innovation showcases the immense potential of allowing third-party developers to craft bespoke feeds for social platforms. Currently, Surf is in the beta testing phase, with a waiting list for those eager to try it out.
As Flipboard’s CEO highlighted, this is another indication of how custom feeds are breaking the monopoly of larger platforms on content sharing, be it videos, photos, or discussions. With rapid developments on the AT Protocol, which powers Bluesky, the scene is set for exciting advancements.
Surf plans to enhance its video feed by integrating users’ Bluesky Following timelines—transformed into custom feeds—to show only video posts from one’s personal network. This would present users with a feed of video content from the people they follow, enriching their browsing experience.
Taking cues from Bluesky’s new custom video feed, which embraces a TikTok-inspired interface, Surf has incorporated this user-friendly design. If you’re not seeing this new experience on Bluesky, a simple restart of your app might help.
For those not yet on Surf, its new video offerings are accessible directly on Bluesky, adding a dynamic new dimension to the platform.
Surf doesn’t stop at just providing video feeds; it also allows users to create diverse content streams. A prime example is McCue’s creation of a “BookTok”-style feed, bringing together book discussions reminiscent of TikTok’s BookTok community. This feed is viewable across both Surf and Bluesky.
To compile the BookTok feed, videos tagged #BookTok and #BookSky were included. These tags extend beyond Bluesky, enabling the Surf app to aggregate content from platforms like YouTube, Threads, and Mastodon, alongside Bluesky. Such integration is possible because Surf empowers users to traverse multiple social networks within one app.
