May 6, 2024 Bluesky, the decentralized social network, recently saw the departure of its most prominent backer, Jack Dorsey, from its board. Dorsey, who is also the co-founder and former CEO of Twitter, confirmed his departure on X after being questioned by a user.

On Saturday, Dorsey announced grants for open protocols through his philanthropic initiative, Start Small. When asked if he was still on the Bluesky board, he simply replied, “no.” The timing of his departure remains unclear, and Bluesky’s corporate FAQ initially continued to list him as a board member. However, the company later acknowledged his departure with a statement expressing gratitude for his contributions and confirming the search for a new board member.

Bluesky was announced by Dorsey in 2019 as a project to develop an open and decentralized standard for social media. It later evolved into an independent public benefit corporation led by CEO Jay Graber, with backing from venture capitalists. The platform opened to the public earlier this year.

Dorsey, who appears to have deleted his Bluesky account last year, has been active on X, weighing in on various topics and advocating for using technology to protect freedoms. Bluesky, on the other hand, is now seeking a new board member who aligns with its vision of building a decentralized social network.

Dorsey’s tweet over the weekend appeared to indicate that he had a new opinion of X/Twitter and some potential bitterness about the Bluesky project,  as he wrote, “Don’t depend on corporations to grant you rights. defend them yourself using freedom technology. (you’re on one)”