Bluesky, the social media platform often hailed as a friendlier alternative to X (formerly known as Twitter), is experiencing a surge of popularity just as it grapples with some technical difficulties. On Thursday, users worldwide faced issues accessing their feeds and notifications. This downtime coincided with Bluesky's rising fame, as it had recently become the most downloaded app on the US and UK Apple stores, driven by users fleeing X following the US presidential election.
Emily Liu, a spokesperson for Bluesky, explained the outage was due to one of its internet providers having downtime, which was connected to a fiber cable issue outside of Bluesky’s direct control. Fortunately, the issues appeared to be largely resolved by late Thursday, allowing most users to return to the platform with ease.
Remarkably, Bluesky has gained 2.25 million new users within just one week, many of whom are seeking refuge from the contentious environment on X. The platform was co-founded by Jack Dorsey, who significantly shaped Twitter's early days. One of the key distinctions for Bluesky is its decentralized governance structure, which permits it to operate on independent servers rather than relying solely on company-owned infrastructure.
Given the tumultuous political climate sparked by the recent election and the controversial ownership of X by Elon Musk, it's no wonder users are searching for alternatives. The publicity surrounding Musk's financial backing of Donald Trump has caused some users—especially those disillusioned by his policies—to turn their backs on X. This wave of migration has not gone unnoticed by industry experts; Cory Johnson, Chief Market Strategist at Epistrophy Capital Research remarked, “People are both disgusted and afraid of Elon Musk and what Twitter has become.” He believes the shift toward Bluesky and Meta's Threads, another competitor to X, is expected to continue.
The British news outlet The Guardian is among those distancing itself from X. Recently, it announced its decision to cease posting on the platform, voicing concerns over Musk's influence on shaping political discussions. This aligns with sentiments echoed across social media, where major figures and organizations express fears over X’s increasingly toxic atmosphere.
While Bluesky thrives amid this exodus, its more relaxed culture has attracted numerous prominent personalities, including musicians, actors, and journalists who are eager to share their thoughts without the distressing backdrop of X. Anecdotally, during the outage, Bluesky's developers lightheartedly engaged with users, reminding them to take things easy during the technical hiccup, with one quipping, “Btw — Today will get interesting! If the site goes down, maybe grab a soda, pet the kitty.”
Adapting to its exploding user base, Bluesky is gradually enhancing its features to accommodate new users’ needs. The buoyant reception might pose not only competition for X but could also push it to reconsider its policies surrounding moderation and content management. With many users fleeing X due to its toxic atmosphere characterized by hate speech, harassment, and misinformation, the attention must now pivot to whether Bluesky can maintain its integrity and user-friendly nature as it expands.
Yet, some hurdles remain. Although Bluesky is witnessing rapid user growth, it must also strategize on sustaining community engagement and combating potential challenges associated with larger user bases, such as misinformation. The commitment to creating decentralized moderation models will be one such challenge. The platform's reason for appeal may largely hinge on its ability to preserve community values and provide safer interactions as it scales up. The rise of Bluesky reflects the transformation of social media preferences and user expectations, pointing to the inevitable evolution of online interactions.
Market analysts are curious to see how X will respond to Bluesky's ascent. Users are likely hoping for improvements on issues like toxicity and content management on X, especially as many major organizations and former loyalists like The Guardian decide to step away from the platform. All signs suggest Bluesky is not just another fleeting social media trend; it has been likened to the blue wave washing over the beach, welcoming those exhausted by clamor and searching for cleaner shores.
Overall, the social media environment is rapidly changing, with Bluesky capturing the attention and hearts of former X users. It remains to be seen whether this new platform can hold onto its surge of interest and navigate the bumps of scaling up successfully or if it too will endure setbacks similar to those experienced by its rival. The current legal and social fallout surrounding X under Musk's stewardship will likely shape these dynamics moving forward. With millions gravitating toward Bluesky, the conversation around social media’s role and responsibility is more urgent than ever.
