"Bluesky lets you choose your algorithm: Will user choices lead to a more prosocial social media experience?"
The short answer is no. At least not a significantly more prosocial one. The fundamental problem with Twitter/X and Bluesky (and Threads/Mastodon/etc.) is not the algorithm or moderation. The core problem is the basic structure of these services: the combination of short public posts and replies, endless threading, anonymity, low barriers to entry and exit, and the ability to post instantly and continuously will inevitably lead to snark, tribalism, and incivility when discussing controversial issues.
And while all threaded discussion platforms and forums (including Facebook, Reddit, and even these Substack comments) will have this problem to some degree, when it comes to controversial issues, Twitter and its clones are almost perfectly designed to drive incivility. Which doesn't mean that they can't be guilty pleasures, but they will ever and always be hellscapes when it comes to politics.
"Bluesky lets you choose your algorithm: Will user choices lead to a more prosocial social media experience?"
The short answer is no. At least not a significantly more prosocial one. The fundamental problem with Twitter/X and Bluesky (and Threads/Mastodon/etc.) is not the algorithm or moderation. The core problem is the basic structure of these services: the combination of short public posts and replies, endless threading, anonymity, low barriers to entry and exit, and the ability to post instantly and continuously will inevitably lead to snark, tribalism, and incivility when discussing controversial issues.
And while all threaded discussion platforms and forums (including Facebook, Reddit, and even these Substack comments) will have this problem to some degree, when it comes to controversial issues, Twitter and its clones are almost perfectly designed to drive incivility. Which doesn't mean that they can't be guilty pleasures, but they will ever and always be hellscapes when it comes to politics.