Bluesky Grows, X Users Seek New Social Media Options

Bluesky, a decentralized social media platform, has experienced a significant surge in users, reaching 17 million as of Friday, with 2.5 million new accounts created in the past week, according to New York Post.

The growth coincides with user dissatisfaction over recent changes and terms of service updates on X (formerly Twitter), implemented following the U.S. presidential elections.

Finding Alternatives to X 

Bluesky app’s rise has been rapid, driven by growing dissatisfaction with Elon Musk X leadership.  

In 2019, Dorsey initially drafted this platform, and it quickly gained traction as a decentralized social media option. Surprisingly, the BlueSky social media app has grown to 17 million users, with 2.5 million of those joining within the past week alone 

This sudden increase in accounts comes as some X users, frustrated by recent changes and the political environment wanted to find alternatives to X. 

Bluesky’s user-friendly interface closely mirrors X’s design, featuring familiar elements like “skeets” (akin to tweets), and similar liking, replying, and media-sharing functionalities. The new micro-blogging platform’s resemblance facilitates a seamless transition for former X users, contributing to the ongoing Bluesky vs X trend, according to Vox.

Bluesky is still small compared to X and Meta’s Threads – with nearly 275 million monthly users – its simplicity and ease of use have made it an appealing option for those seeking a fresh social media experience without needing to relearn an entirely new interface. 

Posting and Growing on Bluesky

Posting on Bluesky is easy, with posts (or “skeets”) supporting up to 300 characters, as well as photos, videos, and GIFs. Like X, you can tag others using the @ symbol, and you can manage who interacts with your posts. Also, Bluesky classifies posts into categories such as “posts,” “replies,” and “media,” similar to how X works. 

Bluesky standout addition is its “Feeds” feature, enabling users to discover accounts tailored to specific interests, such as the “Blacksky” feed for connecting with Black users. The social platform supports “Starter Packs,” curated lists of recommended accounts and feeds, for a personalized experience for newcomers.

Bluesky offers a more manual approach to discovering content unlike X. By following specific feeds or searching for usernames, users can build their personalized content experience over time. 

Despite occasional outages reported this week, which the company attributed to an issue with an internet provider, Bluesky’s growing community is a testament to the platform’s potential to grow further.  

Is Bluesky Finally Replacing X? 

In the ongoing Bluesky Vs X battle for social media dominance, it seems like Elon Musk may have lost ground to Bluesky, which is quickly gaining momentum and replacing X as the platform of choice for many users.  

With its familiar design, decentralized vision, and growing user base, Bluesky is emerging as a serious competitor. But the question remains: Will Bluesky rise to become the new “X,” or will Musk’s X reclaim its dominance and reassert itself as the leading media platform?

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