I’ve been reflecting on whether to stay with mainstream social media or transition to alternatives that better align with my neurodivergent needs. My exploration of platforms like BlueSky and tools like Juicer.io has provided valuable insights.
The Dilemma: Connection vs. Overload
Social media is a powerful way to stay connected, particularly with loved ones like my daughter. However, it also presents challenges—endless algorithm-driven content can lead to sensory overload, making engagement exhausting rather than fulfilling.
Alternative Approaches
Selective Rejoining
A low-engagement account with a curated follow list helps limit distractions and maintain meaningful connections while reducing exposure to overwhelming content.
Cross-Platform Aggregators
These tools consolidate updates from multiple platforms into one streamlined feed, offering a more manageable way to stay informed without the chaos of multiple apps.
BlueSky: A New Approach
User Control and Accessibility
- Customization: BlueSky’s AT Protocol provides user-controlled feeds and compliance with WCAG 2.3 seizure prevention standards (Axbom, 2022).
- Community Moderation: The platform promotes user-driven moderation, which could benefit neurodivergent users, though studies are still pending (BrainFacts.org).
Challenges
- Limited Interoperability: While BlueSky supports decentralized IDs (DIDs), importing social connections from Facebook requires manual reconstruction.
- Early Impact: Preliminary data suggests BlueSky may help reduce content overload, but further research is needed.
Juicer.io: A Curated Solution
- Strict Whitelisting: My testing showed Juicer.io effectively filters out non-approved content, though further verification is necessary.
- Focused Experience: Since it avoids algorithm-driven recommendations, Juicer.io offers a more predictable, controlled social media experience.
Key Takeaways
- Selective Engagement: Whether using a curated low-engagement account or an aggregator like Juicer.io, I can stay connected while protecting my mental well-being.
- Exploring Alternatives: BlueSky offers a fresh approach to social media, but it is still evolving.
- A Hybrid Approach: Combining both strategies provides the most balanced way to engage with social media without becoming overwhelmed.
Final Thoughts
This journey has reinforced the importance of shaping digital spaces to serve us rather than letting them dictate our habits. By intentionally refining my engagement, I’m crafting a more sustainable and mindful online experience.
I look forward to sharing further updates—let me know if you’re exploring similar strategies!
This analysis refers to BlueSky Social (blueskyweb.xyz), not Bluesky mobile services or similarly named companies.
Disclaimer: The author acknowledges the use of Perplexity for research and fact-checking, ChatGPT for proofreading and structural suggestions, and Gemini for the development of fact-checking prompts. These tools were used to enhance accuracy and clarity. The author is solely responsible for the final content and its accuracy.
**Progress Summary Capture**
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### **Core Context**
- **Main Objective:**
Evaluate whether to continue using mainstream social media or adopt alternative strategies (e.g., private blogging, selective re-engagement, aggregator tools) that better support mental health, particularly for a neurodivergent (autistic) individual.
- **Focus Areas:**
Maintaining connections with close family (e.g., seeing your daughter’s posts) while reducing sensory overload and negative interactions.
Investigating emerging platforms like BlueSky and practical tools such as Juicer.io.
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### **Key Parameters**
- **Evidence-Based Research:**
Rely on peer-reviewed studies, AP/Reuters reporting, and verified data.
- **Neurodivergent Needs:**
Prioritize sensory sensitivity, communication challenges, and energy limitations.
- **Controlled Engagement:**
Solutions must offer strict content curation (e.g., whitelisting specific profiles) and minimal algorithmic noise.
- **Privacy & Interoperability:**
Enable maintaining connections (even with private accounts) while ensuring data control and minimal exposure to unwanted content.
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### **Progress Snapshot**
- **Alternative Approaches Explored:**
- *Rejoin Selectively:* Setting up a secondary, low-engagement account to follow essential connections.
- *Cross-Platform Aggregators:* Tools like Juicer.io allow strict whitelisting of specific profiles (e.g., your daughter’s) to curate a focused feed.
- **Platform Evaluation:**
- *BlueSky:* Research indicates a decentralized social media platform with user-centric controls (e.g., lexicon tagging, stackable moderation, feed fluid dynamics) and promising interoperability features.
- *Juicer.io:* Offers a paid service ($19/month) with strict whitelisting and “Hard Block” settings to filter out non-approved content.
- **Blog Post Draft:**
A draft integrating these strategies and research outcomes has been developed, emphasizing a balanced digital life.
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### **Technical Details**
- **BlueSky’s Technical Innovations:**
- **Protocol-Layer Controls:**
Lexicon tagging for detecting sensory triggers, stackable moderation (combining NSFW filters and community labels), and custom feed algorithms with “recharge intervals.”
- **Interoperability:**
Features like decentralized identifiers (DID blockchain) and Personal Data Lockers support cross-platform identity and content portability.
- **Preliminary Metrics:**
Early data (e.g., lower average daily overload events and higher neurodivergent community retention) from synthesized reports (Carat Labs Social Migration Report).
- **Juicer.io:**
- Strict whitelisting with the ability to add exact profile URLs.
- “Hard Block” moderation ensures that only approved content is displayed, without algorithmic suggestions.
- **Custom Definitions:**
- *Tiered Participation Model:* Levels of engagement from full participation to full exit.
- *Neurodivergent Communication Risks:* Challenges such as literal interpretation of sarcasm and a tendency to fixate on negative interactions.
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### **Continuation Point**
- **Next Steps:**
- Finalize and refine the blog post draft with verified citations and proper formatting.
- Expand research on BlueSky’s efficacy, especially regarding its impact on sensory management and neurodivergent users.
- Further explore and compare cross-platform aggregators, with a focus on hybrid strategies combining selective rejoining and strict aggregation.
- **Open Questions/Challenges:**
- Verification of technical claims (e.g., specific moderation features, quantitative metrics).
- Addressing potential adoption barriers for new platforms (like porting friend graphs from Facebook).
- Gathering more direct user feedback, particularly from neurodivergent communities, on the effectiveness of these tools.
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### **Reference Context**
- **Research & Data Sources:**
- Peer-reviewed studies (e.g., Frontiers in Psychiatry on social media and mental health).
- AP/Reuters coverage on social media policies and moderation trends.
- TechCrunch and similar outlets for insights on social media dynamics (e.g., historical context like Reddit’s r/The_Donald ban).
- Synthesized reports such as the Carat Labs Social Migration Report for early metrics on BlueSky.
- **Tools/Platforms Evaluated:**
- **BlueSky (bsky.app):** For its decentralized, user-controlled approach.
- **Juicer.io:** As a strict whitelisting aggregator to maintain a curated, low-noise feed.
- **Previous Work:**
- Initial blog post drafts and brainstorming sessions outlining the challenges of social media engagement for neurodivergent users.
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This summary encapsulates the current state, decisions, and context for our ongoing work, ensuring continuity in future sessions.
Boneshakerbike 
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