The decision by a Brazilian court to ban X, formerly known as Twitter, appears to be working in favor of its competitors, particularly Bluesky.
Bluesky, the microblogging platform, reported a significant surge in user activity late Friday, with 500,000 new users joining in the last two days. It currently holds the top spot on the free iPhone app chart in Brazil, surpassing Meta’s Threads at number two.
Bluesky CEO Jay Graber lauded Brazil for its choice, as the platform continues to experience rapid growth despite its recent launch to the public in February.
Describing itself as “the short king of social apps,” Bluesky has garnered over 6 million users since May 2024, showcasing its impressive growth trajectory.
Initially introduced in 2019 as a Twitter-backed initiative, Bluesky has evolved into an independent public benefit corporation, with Jack Dorsey stepping down from the board earlier this year.
Meanwhile, X, led by Elon Musk, has been embroiled in a legal battle with Brazil’s Supreme Court over its refusal to block certain accounts, leading to the company’s decision to cease operations in the country.
In response to the ban imposed by Justice Alexandre de Moraes, X users are prohibited from accessing the platform through VPNs, with potential fines for violations.
As the ban took effect, Brazil’s President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva directed his followers to his other social media accounts, with Bluesky notably featured among them.
