X-odus gives Bluesky its day in the sun

The world briefly stood still last week. Clifton Suspension Bridge, the famous feat of engineering in Bristol, announced on X, formerly Twitter, that it was leaving the social media platform, burning bridges in the process, citing a decrease in meaningful engagement and a rise in inappropriate content. 4 days later, there was a sigh of relief as the bridge posted for the first time on X’s competitor Bluesky, a platform which has exploded in popularity in the past month.

Bluesky looks and feels a lot like the Twitter of old, with a reverse chronological feed of posts, with images, videos, and links that can be liked and and reposted. Its rise has been steady since its official launch in 2023, and meteoric in November around the time of the US election, now standing at 20 million. 

Its growth coincides with an X-odus, driven by those, mostly on the left, who reject the direction of travel on X and seek refuge from toxicity on the platform. Since 2022, there has been a surge in misinformation, spam, and fake accounts, partly due to Twitter’s trust and safety policy team being gutted by Musk. Banned conservative figures have been reinstated and hate speech on the platform has leapt.

Whilst social media services Threads and Mastodon have sought to fill a more moderate space left by X, it’s Bluesky that has appealed to progressive types like no other. The overriding verdict is that just feels ‘nicer’ than X, with fewer conspiracies and bots, and less hate speech. Vibes-wise, it feels like Twitter from 2014 is back, with irreverent, passionate and earnest accounts sharing opinions and memes.

So, vibes aside, what’s the appeal? 

What makes the platform different is its commitment to personal choice, as users can tailor the content they receive on their home page. Unlike X, where posts will appear based on the algorithm, Bluesky allows users to choose what content appears on users’ home page and how feeds are organised.

Whilst a default view shows posts from followers, users can also opt for feed-based interests, such as what’s popular with friends, or those on art, science or cats.

Bluesky also supercharges personal blocking tools. Users can block massive amounts of people with a few clicks, what users call the ‘nuclear block’, meaning their content won’t appear on their timeline. Heavy moderation is also front and centre, with automated tools that flag content that violates its guidelines. For those who have fled from negative interactions on X, this feels like a breath of fresh air.

However, it currently feels closer to an echo chamber than a space for debate between opposing views, having become the platform of choice for policy wonks, academics, the broader chatterati and media people.

Jemima Kelly at the Financial Times puts it well: ‘I’m not sure I have ever felt more like I’m at a Stoke Newington drinks party than when I’m browsing Bluesky (including when tucking into Perelló olives and truffle-flavoured Torres crisps in actual N16).’

Bluesky’s initial popularity displays an increasingly polarised social media landscape, and a natural evolution of siloed audiences where the middle ground is squeezed even further. Some commentators have even suggested Bluesky’s rise mirrors the left-wing version of Trump’s Truth Social, where the left wing speaks solely to itself. For now, the centre ground is sounding awfully quiet.