Following Donald Trump’s electoral victory, a significant migration of users from Elon Musk’s X to Bluesky, a competing social media platform, has occurred. Bluesky, which shares a similar colour scheme and logo with X, is making strides as a decentralized alternative, drawing roughly one million new users daily.
Currently, Bluesky boasts 16.7 million users, which continues to surge. But what exactly is Bluesky, and why is it appealing to former X users?
What is Bluesky?
Bluesky brands itself as “social media as it should be,” offering core functionalities like search, notifications, and reposting, but it distinguishes itself with its decentralized architecture. This design enables users to host their data on independent servers. Most choose the standard “.bsky.social” username, though the platform also supports custom domains for further personalization. Regarding user experience, Bluesky closely resembles the original Twitter, now known as X.
Why are X users switching?
Bluesky’s recent popularity spike traces back to the political polarization following Trump’s win. Elon Musk’s endorsement of the president-elect and his anticipated role in Trump’s administration have prompted many to look for alternatives. Publications like The Guardian have labeled X “a toxic media platform,” adding another reason for the shift.
Celebrity migrations have also boosted Bluesky’s appeal. Notables like Lizzo, Ben Stiller, Jamie Lee Curtis, and Patton Oswalt have moved to Bluesky, with some reducing or completely cutting ties with X.
Who owns Bluesky?
Jack Dorsey, Twitter’s former CEO, founded Bluesky to create a decentralized platform akin to Twitter. However, Dorsey stepped down from the Bluesky board in May 2024 and deactivated his account in September. Today, Bluesky is under the leadership of CEO Jay Graber and operates as a US public benefit corporation, according to The BBC.
Bluesky marketing
Unlike X, Bluesky eschewed traditional advertising, initially relying on investor and venture capital funding. Currently, it is exploring revenue through paid services like custom domain names for usernames.
Comments
While Bluesky is rapidly expanding, it still has a considerable journey before it can compete with X, which, according to Elon Musk, garners 250 million daily active users.
