Born as an internal project at Twitter before becoming independent in 2022, the social network led by Jay Graber is experiencing meteoric growth,doubling its user base since last September. SimilarWeb data reveals that the gap with its direct competitor, Instagram Threads, is rapidly closing: while the latter had five times as many daily users before the US elections, its lead has shrunk to a factor of 1, 5 from mid-November.
Bluesky, sometimes nicknamedthe «Decentralized Twitter»just crossedthe milestone of 20 million users, driven by a massive exodus after the American election. In just a few days, the platform gained 5 million users.
Explosive growth driven by the exodus of
The figures showa spectacular acceleration. More than a million new users since the American election, 3 million afterthe suspension of X in Brazil in September, and another 1.2 million in the two days following X's controversial announcement about changing its blocking feature.
The application is experiencing an explosion in usage of 519% in the United States and 352% in the United Kingdom compared to the first ten months of the year. This hypergrowth materializes in the application rankings: Bluesky has occupied first place in the American App Store since November 13, surpassing Threads (4th) and relegating X to 41st position.A real kick in the anthill!
As Bluesky spokesperson Emily Liu explains, the platform welcomes “diverse communities, from Taylor Swift fans to wrestlers to urban planners», illustrating its ability to attract diverse audiences. People perhaps also exhausted from the toxic atmosphere that has reigned on X since Musk's takeover,looking for fresher virtual air to breathe.
Chart showing the explosion of Bluesky's US users, who now exceed those of Threads. © SimilarWeb
A digital refuge with innovative features
The platform technically stands out from the othersby its decentralized architecture. Unlike a centralized platform that relies on a single main server, Bluesky operates on a network of independent servers. Each user can choose the server that suits them best and personalize their experience.
The moderation system is particularly effectiveto block or suspend problematic accounts and combat toxic behavior. THE "starter packs», praised in particular by the historian Ruth Ben-Ghiat who gained 21,000 subscribers in one day, facilitate the discovery of experts and thematic content. The representative of the United States, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, sums up the general feeling in a post liked 27,000 times: “Damn, what a pleasure to be in a digital space with real human beings».
This technical approachis part of the Fediverse vision, where social networks could interconnect as messaging services already do, offering an alternative to the dominant centralized model.
A major political and media issue
The exodus to Bluesky takes placein a context of generalized distrust towards. Critically important media likeThe Guardian(10.8 million subscribers),West France(688,000 subscribers) andThe Vanguard(1.3 million subscribers) announced the suspension of their publications on Musk's platform.
German football club St. Pauli justified its departure from the platform by callinghate machine» likely to influence the German elections. Musk's appointment to theDepartment of Government Effectiveness» (DOGE) sous Trumpraises serious concerns about the neutrality of, which some experts already see as a “Truth Social premium».
A network launched by Trump known for its polarization and its affiliation withright-wing circles more than dubious: fans of stupid Qanon-style conspiracy theories, disinformation, hate speech, ultra-conservative propaganda with simplistic and inflammatory rhetoric, etc.
Users also fearthe use of their datafor training artificial intelligence modelsxAI, Musk's company. Faced with these excesses, Professor Axel Bruns of the Queensland University of Technology observes that Bluesky is becoming “a haven for those seeking the social experience that Twitter once provided, without the far-right activism, misinformation, and hate speech”. With such explosive growth, there is no doubt that Bluesky will takean increasingly important place in the social media arena.
- Bluesky is experiencing meteoric growth, reaching 20 million users thanks to its decentralized architecture and effective moderation.
- The platform attracts users with very diverse profiles and becomes a less toxic alternative to X.
- With its innovative positioning and growing popularity, Bluesky is now in a very enviable position.
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By : Keleops AG
