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Bluesky, the decentralized social media platform competing with X (formerly Twitter) and Threads, has recorded a significant influx of 700,000 new users following the US presidential election. This spike in membership, reported within a week, is attributed to users seeking refuge from misinformation and far-right content prevalent on X, which has faced increased scrutiny after Elon Musk’s alliance with President-elect Donald Trump.
The app currently has a user base of more than 14.5 million, with the majority of users originating from the United States. It is presently the second most popular free social networking app on the US App Store, trailing only Meta’s Threads. This demonstrates the extent to which American users are seeking alternatives to Elon Musk’s X.
In the interim, Threads has encountered criticism for engagement lure, moderation issues, and recent misinformation concerns, despite surpassing 275 million monthly users, as reported by Taylor Lorenz. This has resulted in an increasing number of users pursuing alternative platforms such as Bluesky.
Bluesky’s user base has increased from 9 million in September to 14.5 million as a result of the significant increase in new sign-ups, primarily from North America and the UK. Axel Bruns, a social media expert, characterized Bluesky as a haven for individuals who are disillusioned by the current state of X. He commended the platform’s effective measures for moderating content and preventing detrimental behavior.
“It’s become a refuge for people who want to have the kind of social media experience that Twitter used to provide, without all the far-right activism, misinformation, hate speech, and bots,” Bruns noted, adding that the platform has attracted a substantial portion of the former liberal-leaning Twitter community.
Bluesky, which was initially developed as an internal initiative at Twitter, evolved into an independent entity in 2022. It is currently primarily owned by its CEO, Jay Graber. Dissatisfaction with Musk’s administration of X and his association with Trump has contributed to the platform’s appeal. Since rebranding from Twitter, X has experienced a significant decline, losing millions of users and a 20% decrease in US activity over seven months.
Bluesky’s expansion is not unprecedented. The platform had previously attracted 3 million users after X was suspended in Brazil in September. Subsequently, X’s decision to permit prohibited users to view content from those who had barred them resulted in an additional 1.2 million users joining the platform within two days. Emily Liu, a spokesperson for Bluesky, expressed enthusiasm for the varied influx of users, stating, “We’re excited to welcome all of these new people, ranging from Swifties to wrestlers to city planners.”
Bluesky has continued to develop its features, incorporating direct messaging and video compatibility to emulate certain aspects of X and distinguish itself from Threads, Meta’s social platform, which surpassed 275 million monthly users in November. The “starter packs,” or curated groups on Bluesky, have been particularly well-received. Ben-Ghiat has commended them for nurturing informed discussions analogous to the best of Twitter’s past.
