What to know
- Bluesky gained over 700,000 new users in the week following the U.S. presidential election, bringing its total user base to 14.5 million.
- Most new users are from North America and the UK, with many leaving X (formerly Twitter) due to concerns about misinformation and offensive content.
- The surge in users includes various groups, from Swifties to wrestlers to city planners, seeking an alternative to X following Donald Trump’s election victory.
Bluesky, the social media platform that started as a Twitter project before becoming independent, has experienced a significant surge in its user base following the U.S. presidential election. The platform has grown from 9 million users in September to 14.5 million, marking a notable shift in social media dynamics.
The exodus from X to Bluesky appears driven by multiple factors, including concerns about misinformation and content moderation. Users have reported feeling safer on Bluesky, which offers more robust tools for blocking problematic accounts and managing harmful behavior.
Bluesky spokesperson Emily Liu expressed enthusiasm about welcoming diverse new users to the platform. The company has recently enhanced its features by adding direct messaging and video compatibility to compete more effectively with other social media alternatives.
Despite its impressive growth, Bluesky remains smaller compared to Meta’s Threads, which boasts 275 million monthly active users. However, the platform continues to evolve, focusing on providing a user experience that emphasizes community and content quality over advertising revenue.
The platform’s recent success follows several other growth spurts, including gaining three million users when X was temporarily blocked in Brazil. Bluesky distinguishes itself through its decentralized approach to social media, allowing different platforms and communities to interact rather than operating under a single corporate banner.
