In today’s episode, we’re diving into Skylight — a brand-new TikTok alternative that’s shaking up short-form video with the backing of none other than billionaire entrepreneur Mark Cuban. Built on the same decentralized network as Bluesky, Skylight hopes to offer a “ban-proof” platform just as pressure mounts in the U.S. to regulate or even ban TikTok. Co-created by former travel influencer turned developer Tori White and CTO Reed Hermeyer, this app is less about copying TikTok and more about reimagining it — with openness, transparency, and resilience at its core. With features like in-app editing, comments, and shareability already in place, and the promise of duets, sound sharing, and even new gesture controls on the horizon, Skylight is aiming for more than a viral moment — it’s chasing a movement. As Hermeyer put it, what sold them on their protocol of choice was simple: "We didn’t see the 'fail whale.' That made us feel comfortable about the underlying technology.”

🔑 Key Points:

• Mark Cuban has backed Skylight, a decentralized TikTok rival built on AT Protocol — the same open-source tech behind Bluesky.
• Skylight was created by Tori White, a former travel influencer turned self-taught developer, and Reed Hermeyer, who were motivated by the potential U.S. TikTok ban.
• The app has typical short-form video features: video editing, likes, comments, shares, user profiles, and follow/follower options.
• Videos on Skylight are instantly visible across the entire ATProto network, which includes over 33.8 million users thanks to interoperability with apps like Bluesky and Flashes.
• One of the app's major draws is its resilience — it’s being marketed as “ban-proof” due to its decentralized architecture.
• Tori White used her TikTok (@buildwithtori) to document Skylight’s development, helping to build buzz and recruit early users — nearly 50,000 followers before launch.
• Currently supports videos up to 3 minutes, and future updates will include customizable feeds, gesture-based navigation, duets, sound support, stitching, bookmarks, and playlists.
• The app is now available in beta on the Google Play Store and fully launched on Apple’s App Store.

🧠 Bonus Insight:
Skylight’s use of the decentralized AT Protocol means your videos and social graph aren’t locked into a single app — an emerging trend in the push toward open, user-controlled social media. The involvement of Cuban and Graham & Walker Ventures could signal serious interest in more resilient, creator-friendly platforms — especially as legislation continues to circle TikTok.

🎙 Stay tuned — we’ll keep following the rise of Skylight to see if this new star shines bright or fades like many social apps before it.
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