Bluesky has really skyrocketed. The social media app, which is said to be one of Twitter's rival apps, saw a surge in its users a week after the US presidential election, where it shot up to 700,000 new users.
Although founded by former Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey, this rise is credited to users who go to Bluesky as an escape from Elon Musk's X, formerly Twitter. Therefore, membership has risen from 9 million in September to 14.5 million by Nov. 12.
Musk's Controversial Influence Over X
According to The Guardian, the recent departures from X are largely because of Elon Musk's public endorsement of president-elect Donald Trump, who declared a decisive victory on Nov. 5.
Increasingly under siege since Elon Musk's $44 billion acquisition of X in 2022, the platform suffers from rising criticism. Users report an increase in misinformation, offensive content, and difficulties managing unwanted interactions.
Many view Bluesky as the safer, more community-minded alternative—in short, a safe space for every user.
Public Personalities Dive into Frenzy for Bluesky
US Congress Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez returned to Bluesky this week. "Thrilled to be in a 'digital space with real human beings," she said.
In August, UK activity in Bluesky surged upward by 60 percent amid growing discontent over the contents of X's, as well as about the electoral politics said by Musk.
Moreover, recent criticism by Musk against UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer ignited the shift, as influential members like Home Office minister Jess Philips and Labour MP Lewis Atkinson declared to switch to Bluesky.
According to Axel Bruns, a social media researcher, people have sought refuge in Bluesky without bots, hate speech, far-right activism, and other form of negativities.
Bluesky's Increasing Popularity Amidst Hardship for X
This is the second instance Bluesky is raking money from X's woes. After X rebranded from Twitter, it lost nearly a fifth of its users, most of whom had decided to join Bluesky, Sky News reports.
Similarly, after X was banned in Brazil, Bluesky announced three million more users. British comedian Greg Davies also announced his exit from X, asking his followers to "keep in touch through other channels," further evidence of the increasing allure of Bluesky.
What Sets Bluesky Apart?
Bluesky was launched independently in 2021 by Jay Graber and is a decentralized social media experience that looks very different from any other mainstream platform, be it Twitter or Facebook.
Images of Bluesky more closely resemble those of X, as it focuses on a network of interoperable communities, which allows users to cross-post across platforms.
Currently, Bluesky ranks second, behind Meta's Threads, on the US Apple App Store. With its unconventional appeal and user-first take on social networking, Bluesky has quickly gained much ground.
Bluesky's recent rise in popularity gives some people hope that a social media platform can be as clean and safe as before. Since it's now at the forefront with Musk's X, it should be ready anytime when Elon's minions attack it.
We could remember that Bluesky reversed the ban on state heads. This means that world leaders can use it now—and politics inside its sphere will be unavoidable.
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