Janice R. Andrews
In the aftermath of the recent U.S. presidential election, Bluesky has witnessed unprecedented growth, attracting over 1.25 million new users in just one week. This surge coincides with a notable exodus from X (formerly Twitter), which lost 115,000 accounts on November 6, despite maintaining high traffic with 46.5 million visits that day.
The migration appears linked to growing discontent with X under Elon Musk’s leadership, particularly his support for president-elect Trump and controversial platform policies. Major players like The Guardian have scaled back their X presence, though their future engagement with Bluesky remains uncertain.
Founded in 2019 by Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey and now led by CEO Jay Graber, Bluesky offers a unique decentralized approach to social networking. The platform has grown impressively from 9 million to 16 million users between September and mid-November 2024, though still trailing behind competitors like Threads (275 million users) and X (318 million users).
Bluesky’s distinguishing feature is its decentralized architecture, contrasting sharply with traditional platforms like X and Facebook. While conventional social networks keep users’ content and connections within closed ecosystems, Bluesky’s infrastructure allows users to maintain their digital presence across different platforms. This portability eliminates the need to rebuild networks when switching platforms.
Users migrating to Bluesky, where posts are nicknamed “skeets,” cite the platform’s commitment to user autonomy and its welcoming environment as key attractions. The timing of Bluesky’s growth suggests a correlation with X’s user decline, though direct causation remains unconfirmed.
As Bluesky expands, it faces the challenge of scaling while maintaining its unique identity and competing with established social media giants. While its future role in the social media landscape is yet to be determined, Bluesky’s focus on decentralization and user empowerment offers a distinctive alternative in the evolving digital communication space.
