Move Between Bluesky and Mastodon

Bounce Launches: A New Tool for Open Social Network Migration

A novel technology, Bounce, is being released to the public on Monday, representing a significant addition to the open social web ecosystem. This cross-protocol migration tool facilitates the transfer of follow graphs between accounts on different open social networks.

Bridging Protocol Gaps

Currently, users of platforms like Mastodon have the option to relocate their accounts to alternative servers within the same network. Bluesky is also developing account migration capabilities to different PDS (Personal Data Servers) within its own system.

However, a fundamental challenge exists. Mastodon operates using the ActivityPub Protocol, while Bluesky utilizes the AT Protocol. This disparity has previously hindered seamless account migration between these two platforms.

How Bounce Works

The functionality of Bounce is built upon technology initially created for Bridgy Fed. Bridgy Fed establishes connections between Mastodon and Bluesky, making user profiles visible across both services.

The migration process involves first transferring a user’s Bluesky account to a bridged account. This bridged account then serves as an intermediary step to the user’s Mastodon account.

Support for Pixelfed, a social application similar to Instagram and also based on ActivityPub, is also included in this migration process.

Current Limitations and Future Plans

At its initial launch, Bounce enables migration from Bluesky to either Mastodon or Pixelfed. Reverse migration – from Mastodon or Pixelfed to Bluesky – is not yet supported.

This limitation stems from the current infrastructure of Bluesky, which only permits users to move off of its servers, not back onto them. Once Bluesky’s capabilities expand, Bounce will implement support for migration in both directions.

Important Considerations for Early Adopters

Users should be aware that migrating their account away from Bluesky results in the inability to log in to the app or other AT Protocol services using their original Bluesky credentials.

Timely Solution for Bluesky Users in Mississippi

The launch of Bounce is particularly relevant for Bluesky users in Mississippi. Bluesky recently announced it would block access to its service within the state to avoid complying with a new age assurance law.

This law was deemed overly intrusive regarding privacy and presented significant resource management challenges for Bluesky’s team. Consequently, users in Mississippi found themselves without access to the network, underscoring the importance of migration tools.

Beta Availability and User Feedback

The beta version of Bounce is available starting Monday. It is targeted towards early adopters and enthusiasts of the open web who are willing to test the service and provide valuable feedback.

While publicly accessible, users are encouraged to thoroughly understand the migration process before committing to the transfer, given the current inability to migrate back to Bluesky after leaving.

Bounce was developed by A New Social, the organization behind Bridgy Fed.