A new short-form video app, Skylight, is launching publicly after just 10 weeks of development, offering an alternative to TikTok built on Bluesky’s AT Protocol. The app has drawn investment from Mark Cuban and aims to provide a decentralized social media experience that allows users to retain access to their content and audience, even if platforms change or shut down.
Founded by Tori White and Reed Harmeyer, Skylight includes familiar features such as in-app video editing, likes, comments, sharing, and user profiles. However, unlike TikTok, it integrates with Bluesky’s network of over 33.8 million users, meaning content posted on Skylight can also be seen and engaged with on other ATProto-based apps, including the photo-centric platform Flashes.
The idea for Skylight emerged as concerns over a potential TikTok ban in the U.S. grew. White, a former travel influencer turned software developer, backed up her TikTok videos but worried about losing access to her community and content. After experimenting with ATProto, she and Harmeyer saw an opportunity to build a more resilient video-sharing platform.
Their confidence in the protocol was strengthened by its stability. Harmeyer noted that Bluesky had avoided the technical failures that plagued early Twitter, reinforcing their belief in the underlying infrastructure.
To build an audience for Skylight before its launch, White documented the app’s development on TikTok through her @buildwithtori account – which now has nearly 50,000 followers – and a number of other solcial platforms. Many of these followers became early testers of the app. While Skylight currently supports three-minute video uploads, its creators see it evolving beyond just a TikTok alternative, leveraging the decentralized nature of ATProto to give users more control over their digital presence.
