London: Social media users seeking alternatives to Elon Musk’s X (formerly Twitter) are increasingly turning to Bluesky, a platform described as “social media as it should be.” Developed as a decentralised version of X, Bluesky offers features reminiscent of Twitter’s earlier design and has been witnessing a surge in popularity, with one million new users joining daily.
What is Bluesky?
Bluesky operates much like traditional social media platforms, allowing users to post, comment, and interact. Its standout feature is decentralisation, enabling users to host their data on private servers instead of company-owned ones. Despite this flexibility, most users stick to the default “.bsky.social” domain for simplicity.
Ownership and Origins
Bluesky was created by Jack Dorsey, Twitter’s former CEO, who envisioned it as a decentralised version of his previous platform. However, Dorsey stepped down from Bluesky’s board in May 2024 and deleted his account in September. Today, Bluesky operates as a US public benefit corporation led by CEO Jay Graber.
Rapid Growth Amid Political and Social Shifts
Bluesky’s user base spiked significantly following Donald Trump’s recent electoral success and Elon Musk’s public support of Trump’s campaign, which led some users to abandon X in protest. Prominent figures like Lizzo, Ben Stiller, and Jamie Lee Curtis have also joined Bluesky, adding to its popularity. On Thursday, the platform became the top free app in the UK Apple App Store.
Challenges and Future Plans
Despite its rapid growth, Bluesky faces hurdles in scaling up, including frequent outages. It also needs a robust revenue model. Unlike X, Bluesky has chosen to avoid advertising and is exploring monetisation through paid services, such as custom domains for usernames.
Competition with X
Bluesky has a long way to go to rival X, which boasts hundreds of millions of users. Elon Musk previously reported that X had 250 million daily active users. Bluesky, with 16.7 million users as of now, remains far smaller but has shown potential to disrupt the landscape of social media platforms.
As it continues to grow and innovate, Bluesky may shape the future of decentralised social media, offering users an alternative to traditional platforms while grappling with financial sustainability.