Bluesky’s, a growing social media platform, announced on Thursday that it recorded one million new user sign-ups in a single day. This surge comes as many disillusioned users of X, formerly known as Twitter, are seeking alternatives.
What is Bluesky?
Bluesky’s began as an internal project under the leadership of former Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey in 2019. Initially invitation-only, the platform opened to the public in February 2023. Since 2021, Bluesky has operated as an independent company, led by CEO Jay Graber.
The platform currently has approximately 18 million users, with rapid growth reported. According to Graber, Bluesky is adding around 10,000 new users every 10 to 15 minutes. While still relatively small compared to established social media giants, Bluesky has positioned itself as an alternative for users seeking a fresh social media experience, free from the influence of X’s owner, Elon Musk, and his controversial management style.
Why is Bluesky Growing?
The recent surge in sign-ups comes after Elon Musk announced he would co-lead the newly proposed Department of Government Efficiency under President-elect Donald Trump. Musk’s rebranding of Twitter as X in 2023, combined with extensive changes, such as staff reductions and the removal of certain moderation protocols, has sparked criticism and led to user dissatisfaction.
Following Election Day, the analytics tool Similarweb reported that X saw 115,000 worldwide account deactivations, its highest-ever recorded. In December 2023, the platform experienced another wave of deactivations—about 65,000—after Musk reinstated conspiracy theorist Alex Jones. A temporary ban of X in Brazil in August further contributed to user migration. Bluesky reportedly gained 500,000 new users between August 28 and August 30 during this period.
While X remains a private company and has not disclosed recent usage data, analytics firm Exploding Topics estimates the platform had 611 million monthly active users as of April 2023. X’s CEO claimed usage has reached an all-time high, but new policies, such as using account posts and images to train artificial intelligence models, have added to the backlash.
Who is Leaving X?
Several U.S. brands, including Target and Playbill, have stopped posting on X or closed their accounts entirely. Media outlets like NPR and The Guardian have also departed the platform. Prominent individuals have expressed concern over Musk’s influence and his potential role in a future Trump administration, further fueling the platform’s criticism.
Historian and New York University professor Ruth Ben-Ghiat noted her apprehension about the platform being run by a potential member of Trump’s team. While she has remained on X, others are leaving for alternative platforms like Bluesky and Meta’s Threads.
Bluesky’s Appeal and Features
Bluesky’s offers a user interface and features similar to X, often described as reminiscent of old Twitter. Users can access the platform via its website or mobile app. Bluesky includes a list feature that enables users to organize accounts into groups and take bulk actions such as blocking, muting, or following accounts.
The platform’s recent growth also reflects a broader shift in social media culture, where users increasingly align their platform choices with political and personal values. The rise of Bluesky highlights the growing demand for platforms perceived as more neutral or community-focused.
Competing Alternatives
Meta’s Threads has also gained traction as an alternative to X. In October 2023, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced Threads had reached 275 million monthly active users. While Bluesky is unlikely to surpass X in the near future, its rapid growth underscores the changing dynamics of the social media landscape.
As more users look for alternatives, platforms like Bluesky’s and Threads are capitalizing on the dissatisfaction surrounding X. The future of social media may see further fragmentation, with users migrating to spaces that better align with their preferences and values.
