March 26, 2026
Public chats, private doubts
Colibri – chat platform built on the AT Protocol for communities big and small
Open-by-default chat takes flight—but “privacy later” sets the comments ablaze
TLDR: Colibri launches an open-by-default chat app on the AT Protocol, promising private groups only when the network supports them. Commenters are split: fans like the openness and familiar UI, while critics question permissions, call the privacy claim misleading, and demand clarity on where data lives and who can see it.
Colibri wants your group chats out in the sun: public by default, portable data, and a Discord‑ish UI built on the AT Protocol, the network behind Bluesky. But the comments? Pure reality check. “Private when needed” became the flashpoint after a user noted Colibri can’t do private rooms yet—only when the protocol itself supports private data. One commenter called that line “disingenuous,” dubbing it privacy‑later marketing.
Security‑minded folks poked at the login permissions—“Manage your profile, posts, likes and follows”—asking why a chat app needs that much control. Another asked the classic: “Your data isn’t trapped on our servers”—so where is it, and who can see it? The team says your messages live with your personal data server (think: your own cloud locker), not a company silo, and that openness helps people discover communities. Still, a skeptic fired back that “open social” is just buzzwords.
On the friendlier side, someone politely begged for screenshots before logging in, and the project creator jumped into the thread with a hello—points for showing up. Mod tools, voice/video, forum threads—all here. You can dig into the FAQ for the “where’s my data” details. But until private spaces exist, the vibe is: great idea, open by design—privacy TBD.
Key Points
- •Colibri is an open-source chat platform built on the AT Protocol for community communication.
- •Chats are public and discoverable by default, emphasizing transparency and openness.
- •The team plans to add private spaces when the AT Protocol supports secure private data.
- •User data is stored on users’ personal data servers (PDS) linked to their ATmosphere profiles, not on Colibri’s servers.
- •Colibri offers real-time text, voice, and video features, moderation tools, and a UI inspired by Discord, Teams, and Slack.