Following the ban of the X platform by a Brazilian court, Bluesky has experienced a significant surge in popularity, gaining one million new users in just three days, intensifying competition in the sector.
The decision by a Brazilian court to ban X has provided a substantial boost to its competitors, with Bluesky emerging as the primary beneficiary. On August 31st, the app saw a significant increase in activity, reaching record levels. Bluesky became the number one free iPhone app in Brazil, surpassing Meta’s Threads, which now ranks second. On September 1st, the platform announced on X that it had gained one million new users in just three days.
Bluesky’s rapid growth is noteworthy, especially considering that, since February, the platform transitioned from being invite-only to being available to the general public. According to its official website, by May 2024, Bluesky had already surpassed 6 million users.
Meanwhile, Elon Musk’s X platform is facing serious legal issues in Brazil for refusing to block accounts linked to electoral misinformation. After failing to comply with the requirement to appoint a legal representative in the country, Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes ordered the immediate suspension of the platform. Additionally, Moraes warned that users employing VPNs to circumvent the ban could face daily fines of 50,000 reais (approximately $8,900). Musk responded by criticizing the move, calling it an attack on free speech.
As the ban loomed, President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva redirected his followers from X to other social media platforms, including Bluesky. It is estimated that around 10% of Brazil’s 210 million inhabitants use X.
Bluesky’s Position in Relation to X
Bluesky began in 2019 as a Twitter-backed project to develop an open and decentralized social protocol and has since evolved into an independent public benefit corporation. Jack Dorsey, co-founder and former CEO of Twitter, left Bluesky’s board of directors earlier this year. The platform has faced competition from both decentralized networks like Mastodon and major social media platforms like X and Facebook.
On August 28th, Bluesky introduced new anti-toxicity features designed to enhance user safety and combat harassment. These updates include tools for separating quoted posts, hiding replies, and filtering notifications. With these measures, Bluesky aims to position itself as a safer alternative to Elon Musk’s X, in response to growing concerns about hate speech and misinformation on that platform.
By: Nestor Castillo, ForlAllTechNews Director