- Skylight introduces human curation, allowing users to build and subscribe to personalized feeds.
- Its open-source architecture (built on Bluesky’s AT Protocol) signals a shift toward decentralized social ecosystems.
- The model counters concerns about opaque algorithms and AI-generated content.
- Brands and creators gain new tools for authentic engagement and niche audience targeting.
By letting users build their own feeds, Skylight challenges the dominance of automated discovery.
In an era where short-form video is increasingly shaped by opaque recommendation engines, Skylight is carving out a different path. Instead of funneling every user into a single algorithmic “For You” stream, the platform empowers individuals to become curators—building and sharing their own feeds that others can subscribe to.
This structural change positions Skylight not just as a competitor to TikTok, but as a critique of the model that has dominated social media discovery for the past half-decade.
How Skylight’s Model Works
The app, which first launched in April and has already seen over 240,000 downloads, operates on a foundation of human agency rather than machine learning predictions. Users can repost and sequence videos to create thematic or interest-based feeds. These feeds then function as community-driven discovery layers, shifting the power from algorithms to people.
Skylight’s 2.0 release integrates feed-building more seamlessly, soon allowing direct customization via Graze, a third-party tool that specializes in personalized feed design. The result is a flexible content environment: audiences no longer rely on what an algorithm thinks they want, but on what trusted curators choose to surface.
Built on the Open Social Web
A critical component of Skylight’s approach is its foundation on Bluesky’s AT Protocol. This gives the platform interoperability with an ecosystem of other decentralized social applications, including those for photos, blogs, and livestreaming. With Bluesky now surpassing 38 million users, Skylight benefits from a ready-made network effect.
This open infrastructure not only makes Skylight less dependent on closed corporate systems but also offers transparency—an increasingly important differentiator as mainstream platforms come under scrutiny for data handling, content manipulation, and regulatory evasion.
Expanding Beyond Short Clips
The new release also brings livestreaming through a partnership with Streamplace, a platform built on the same AT Protocol. By leaning on interoperable services, Skylight avoids the heavy lift of building features internally while expanding creator opportunities.
The updated app also introduces a redesigned player, full-screen mode, and split-screen browsing that allows users to continue watching while navigating other profiles or feeds. This blend of video functionality and browsing fluidity positions Skylight as more than a niche experiment; it is setting up to be a comprehensive video ecosystem.
Implications for Creators
For creators, Skylight offers a chance to escape the volatility of algorithmic exposure. Instead of relying on a system that may bury or unexpectedly amplify their work, they can align with curators who actively select their content for inclusion. This structure creates multiple avenues of discovery, and potentially more durable connections with audiences who share specific interests.
Moreover, Skylight’s rejection of AI-generated filler content addresses a growing pain point. As TikTok and Instagram feeds become saturated with synthetic media, Skylight’s human-led curation could signal a return to authenticity—an attribute that both creators and audiences increasingly demand.
The Broader Competitive Landscape
Skylight’s rise comes at a time of mounting disillusionment with established platforms. Algorithmic opacity, the dominance of AI-generated media, and regulatory crackdowns on data handling have eroded user trust. Skylight’s bet is that community ownership and transparency can restore that trust while still providing the scale and engagement users expect.
Still, the challenges are formidable. Scaling a curation model requires consistent participation from both curators and viewers. The app must also find sustainable ways to reward curators, incentivize content creation, and build monetization structures competitive with TikTok’s established ecosystem. Without those, community enthusiasm may not translate into long-term viability.
Reclaiming Control in the Short-Form Era
Skylight is staking its future on a radical shift: replacing algorithmic determinism with human agency. Its approach suggests that the next phase of short-form video may not be about who builds the most powerful algorithm, but about who creates the most trusted community. Whether this human-curated model can scale globally will be the real test, but Skylight has already positioned itself as the most serious challenger yet to TikTok’s algorithmic monopoly.
