Luke Kanies on Why ATProto Fails Private Data Needs

Building on ATProto

I want ATProto to enable interoperable apps where users control their own data, but its current public-only design is disappointing. While the identity system is promising, the proposed solution for private data forces developers to build two separate applications. Most users, unlike influencers, need flexible privacy options that the protocol currently cannot support without significant redesign.

Private and public data are basically identical; data I publish to the world is just a special case where the permission is world-read.

More from this day

2026-07-23