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Bluesky has updated its notification settings so that users have more control over when and why the social media app sends them a ping. Besides more granular controls over which things will trigger a notification, you can now receive alerts for any activity from a chosen account.

As a fledgling app, Bluesky has lacked the in-depth notification toggles you might find in something like Instagram, which has had over a decade to figure out when people want to be contacted. With this update, the situation on Bluesky has improved significantly. Now you can choose between receiving notifications from everyone, just the people you follow or no one. And those options can be applied to nearly every interaction in the app now, including when someone reposts something you repost or likes something you repost.

Bluesky

You can now also turn on Activity Notifications for any account you choose, if you want to receive notifications about what they're doing in the app. Bluesky imagines it being useful if you follow news organizations who post about breaking news, but if you want to be the first person to like a friend's new post, now you have an easier way to keep tabs on their account.

Bluesky's new notification options join other recent updates to the X and Threads competitor, like the company's new verification program for "authentic and notable accounts" and an experimental live streaming feature that will let you know when select accounts you follow are live on Twitch or YouTube.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apps/bluesky-is-finally-adding-more-ways-to-filter-notifications-185542105.html?src=rss

Jack Dorsey just released a decentralized, peer-to-peer messaging app that functions entirely over Bluetooth networks, as reported by CNBC. It's called Bitchat and doesn't need the internet to work, as there are no central servers.

The Twitter co-founder calls it an experiment in "Bluetooth mesh networks, relays and store and forward models, message encryption models and a few other things.” It works by enabling encrypted communication between nearby gadgets. Basically, it sends messages directly from one device to another, but each device is also a node that widens the network a little bit.

and here's an ugly whitepaper describing protocol: https://t.co/AhJ1y0jJdP— jack (@jack) July 6, 2025

Due to the tech at play here, Bitchat also doesn't require Wi-Fi or cellular service. It's designed to keep working even when the internet is actively being blocked. Messages are stored only on the device and they disappear by default without ever connecting to centralized infrastructure. This kind of technology was used during Hong Kong's 2019 protests to keep communication lines open, though similar apps have been floating around for years.

The app allows for group chats that can be named with hashtags and protected with passwords. It can also forward messages to users who are temporarily offline. A future version of the app will support Wi-Fi Direct to increase the speed and size of the network.

Dorsey has long been a proponent of decentralized communication platforms, as Bluesky was built with an open-source framework that emphasizes user control. Bitchat is available as a beta right now via TestFlight, though it's currently filled up.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apps/jack-dorsey-just-released-a-bluetooth-messaging-app-that-doesnt-need-the-internet-191023870.html?src=rss