The new “Free Our Feeds” campaign is seeking to raise $30 million over the next three years to build independent infrastructure for the AT Protocol, aiming to prevent Bluesky from becoming beholden to corporate or billionaire influence.
Securing the Open Web
With an immediate fundraising goal of $4 million, the initiative plans to hire a dedicated team to manage decentralized infrastructure. Robin Berjon, a key figure behind the project, emphasized that while Bluesky has open-sourced the AT Protocol, the current ecosystem lacks a necessary “countervailing power.”
“The goal of operating infrastructure is to make sure that the AT Protocol that underlies Bluesky can remain open,” Berjon stated. “Because there’s only one big entity—Bluesky—there’s no one else to ensure it stays open. We intend to operate independent infrastructure that is compatible with them, supporting the entire network so it isn’t solely dependent on one major player.”
Beyond Bluesky: A Multi-App Ecosystem
While the AT Protocol is currently synonymous with Bluesky, the project’s long-term vision extends far beyond a single platform. The goal is to establish a foundation that acts as a credible actor in the space, providing the necessary backing for developers to build diverse social applications.
“Using the same infrastructure, you could build an Instagram analog, a Facebook analog, a TikTok analog, or things that haven’t been invented yet,” Berjon explained. “You don’t need to reinvent user accounts or storage systems. People can simply use their existing accounts with new applications because it is interoperable with the AT Protocol.”
Funding Transparency and Timeline
Free Our Feeds is moving quickly, with plans to have an independent nonprofit foundation fully operational by the end of the year. To maintain trust and accountability, Berjon confirmed a strict financial policy: if the project fails to meet its fundraising targets, all collected donations will be returned to the contributors.
