Is the grass greener on the other side? While we can’t be certain, the sky is definitely bluer. It has been almost two years since Elon Musk bought Twitter, now X, prompting users to explore alternative platforms. Mastodon, Post, Pebble (though it has already ceased operations), and Spill have all emerged as potential replacements, but none have seen the rapid growth that Bluesky, compared to Meta’s Threads.
After a year of being invite-only, Bluesky opened up to everyone in February 2024, acquiring nearly 800,000 new users in a single day. As of October 2024, Bluesky boasts over 10 million users, following spikes in user numbers due to X’s ban in Brazil and an updated X policy that propelled the app into the top 5 apps on the U.S. App Store. While the numbers are promising, Bluesky still has a long way to go to match Threads’ 175 million users a year after its launch.Threads’ 175 million users a year after its launch.
What is Bluesky?
Bluesky is a decentralized social app conceptualized by former Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey. It was developed alongside Twitter and features a Twitter-like user interface with algorithmic choice, a federated design, and community-specific moderation.
Bluesky utilizes an open-source framework built in-house, known as the AT Protocol, allowing transparency for external parties to understand its development.
How do you use Bluesky?
Upon registration, users can create a handle represented as @username.bsky.social and a display name in bold text. Users can also use their domain name as their username, for example, @amanda.omg.lol.
Bluesky functions like a minimalist Twitter, allowing users to create 256-character posts with photos, reply to, retweet, and like posts, as well as report or share them using the iOS Share Sheet.
Users can follow others and view their updates in the “Home” timeline. Bluesky’s algorithmic “Discover” feed offers personalized content beyond trending posts. A new “Starter Pack” feature introduces curated follow lists for new users.
Who’s on Bluesky?
Bluesky has attracted notable figures like Neil Gaiman, Dril, and Chelsea Manning, along with news organizations such as Bloomberg, The Washington Post, and Engadget. Heads of state are also now allowed to join the platform.
