The worker cooperative states:
We’re excited to announce NorthSky Social Cooperative where we are building a new ATproto platform for the benefit of marginalized communities that prioritizes the 2SLGBTQIA+ community. After increasing hostility toward these communities we are taking action to provide a platform built by and for us.
They go on to say:
A shift towards federation has enabled the survival of marginalized communities and @bsky.app which developed the AT Protocol has created a foundation for us to build Northsky Social on top of. As such we will be fully compatible with @bsky.app where users will be able to communicate across the federated ATproto space.
They will run their own server, yes.
pds != router though.
theres only a single router in existence run by bluesky, so this would make the official first non-bluesky controlled router?
Yes.
Nope, FAQ says it’s only PDServers they host. The Relay and AppView, DMs stays in bsky control.
Their own server, or their own router? They’re different.