On Bluesky? Check Out the Next Starter Pack.

(Already know what a Starter Pack is? Check out our Starter Pack here.)

Following the 2024 election, social media users across the country migrated from the heavy handed algorithm of Twitter/X towards Bluesky. While Bluesky is still much smaller than Twitter, Instagram or many of the other larger social media websites, it is still growing and with an algorithm that isn’t designed to intentionally push misinformation, many progressive users are finding greater engagement with Bluesky accounts that are smaller than their old ones at Twitter/X.

One of the features that Bluesky users enjoy is the “Starter Pack.” After years of building a feed of useful or interesting accounts at Twitter/X, it can be daunting to start over and be fed news and posts that are useful for new users. Starter Packs are lists of accounts, created by users centered around a specific topic, interest or geographical area.

Over the holidays, Santa Monica Next created what we believe is the first Starter Pack built around the people, policies and politics of Santa Monica. The list includes Next and 25 other accounts that include the city itself, current and former Councilmembers, institutions, advocates and advocacy groups. Over time, we’ll create larger starter packs and more centralized ones (Santa Monica bicyclists for example), but for now if you’re new to Bluesky, planning to join, or just looking to improve your feed with local news, be sure to check out the Santa Monica Next starter pack.

About The Author

Damien Newton

Damien is the executive director of the Southern California Streets Initiative which publishes Santa Monica Next, Streetsblog Los Angeles, Streetsblog San Francisco, Streetsblog California and Longbeachize.

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