Bluesky announced Monday that CEO Jay Graber is stepping down from her role leading the social media platform and will transition into a new position as chief innovation officer.
The company said Graber will shift her focus toward developing new technologies and ideas while stepping away from the day-to-day operational responsibilities of running the platform.
Toni Schneider, the former CEO of Automattic and a partner at venture capital firm True Ventures, will serve as interim CEO while Bluesky’s board conducts a search for a permanent chief executive. Both Automattic and True Ventures are investors in Bluesky.
In a blog post explaining the leadership transition, Graber said the company has reached a stage where it needs a leader focused on scaling operations and managing growth.
“As Bluesky has grown, it has become clear that the company needs a leader focused on scaling and execution,” Graber said.
She added that her personal strengths lie more in technology development and creative innovation rather than managing the operational side of a growing company.
“I’m most energized by exploring new ideas, bringing a vision to life, and helping people discover their strengths,” Graber wrote. “Transitioning to a more focused role where I can do what brings me energy is my way of putting that belief into practice.”
Bluesky was originally launched as a project within Twitter in 2019 before becoming an independent company. The decentralized social media platform has attracted users looking for alternatives to larger social networks.
However, the platform has faced several challenges as its user base expanded.
Moderation has been one of the biggest ongoing issues. As the platform grew rapidly, Bluesky’s safety team reported being overwhelmed by moderation requests. At one point, the platform received tens of thousands of moderation reports within a single day.
Bluesky has attempted to address moderation concerns by promoting decentralized and user-managed moderation tools. That approach has created tension with some users who prefer stronger centralized enforcement by the platform itself.
The company has also faced regulatory challenges as states introduce new laws requiring age verification and protections for minors on social media platforms.
In Mississippi, Bluesky chose to block access to the service entirely rather than comply with the state’s age verification requirements. In other states, including Ohio, South Dakota, and Wyoming, the company has begun implementing age verification systems in order to meet legal requirements.
The platform has also been criticized over its handling of user behavior and content disputes. In some cases, users have accused the platform of allowing harassment or threats directed at individuals with controversial views.
The leadership transition comes as Bluesky continues working to grow its user base and develop its decentralized social media model while navigating moderation challenges and new regulatory pressures.
