Bluesky’s Emergence: An Alternative to X, Its Features, and Ownership

The term “Bluesky” has recently become prominent across social media platforms, leading to questions about its nature. This platform serves as an alternative to Elon Musk’s X, bearing a resemblance in its color scheme and logo. Bluesky is experiencing rapid expansion, currently attracting approximately one million new registrations daily. As of this writing, its user base stood at 16.7 million, a number expected to increase by the time of publication. This raises inquiries into what Bluesky is and the reasons behind its significant user growth. Bluesky characterizes itself as “social media as it should be,” despite its visual similarities to existing platforms. The interface features a standard left-hand navigation bar, offering expected functions such as search, notifications, and a homepage. Users of the platform can engage by posting, commenting, reposting, and liking content. In essence, its appearance mirrors that of X, previously known as Twitter, in its earlier form. A key distinction of Bluesky is its decentralized nature. This complex concept essentially allows users to store their data on servers not owned by the company itself. Consequently, individuals are not restricted to a Bluesky-specific account; they have the option to register using an account they personally control. However, it should be noted that most users do not utilize this feature, and new registrants typically have “.bsky.social” appended to their usernames. The resemblance to X is not coincidental, as it was founded by Jack Dorsey, the former head of Twitter. Dorsey previously expressed his vision for Bluesky to be “a decentralised version of Twitter that no single person or entity owns.” However, Mr. Dorsey is no longer involved with the platform, having resigned from its board in May 2024 and subsequently deleting his account in September. Currently, chief executive Jay Graber manages and primarily owns Bluesky, which operates as a US public benefit corporation. Bluesky’s existence dates back to 2019, but it remained an invitation-only platform until February of the current year. This period allowed developers to address technical issues and enhance stability before its public launch. While this strategy has seen some success, the substantial influx of new users in November has led to ongoing service outages. The surge in new Bluesky users coincided with Donald Trump’s success in the US elections in November. Mr. Musk, the owner of X, was a prominent supporter of Trump’s campaign and is slated for significant involvement in his administration. This situation has predictably generated political polarization, prompting some individuals to abandon X as a form of protest. Other motivations for departing X have been cited, including the Guardian newspaper’s decision to cease posting, referring to X as “a toxic media platform.” Concurrently, the Bluesky application is experiencing substantial global download figures, having ranked as the top free app in the Apple App Store in the UK on Thursday. Numerous public figures, such as pop singer Lizzo and Greg Davies from Taskmaster, have declared their enrollment on Bluesky, either reducing their engagement with X or entirely discontinuing its use. Other recognizable personalities include Ben Stiller, Jamie Lee Curtis, and Patton Oswalt. Despite this considerable growth, Bluesky will require sustained expansion over an extended period to genuinely compete with its microblogging counterpart. X does not disclose its comprehensive user statistics, but its user base is estimated to be in the hundreds of millions, with Elon Musk having previously stated that the platform recorded 250 million daily users. The financial viability of Bluesky represents a critical inquiry. The platform initially secured funding from investors and venture capital firms, accumulating tens of millions of dollars through these avenues. However, with its expanding user base, Bluesky faces the challenge of generating revenue. During Twitter’s peak, advertising constituted the primary source of income for the platform. Bluesky has expressed an intention to forgo this model, stating it will instead explore paid services, such as allowing users to purchase custom domains for their usernames. While seemingly intricate, this concept essentially enables greater personalization of a user’s handle. For instance, a username like @twgerken.bsky.social could potentially evolve into a more official designation, such as @twgerken.bbc.co.uk. Supporters of this approach suggest it also functions as a verification method, requiring approval from the website-owning organization for its use. Should Bluesky’s proprietors persist in their avoidance of advertising, they might ultimately need to consider alternative revenue streams, such as subscription models, to sustain operations. Nevertheless, limited profitability is not uncommon for technology startups. Indeed, prior to its acquisition by Mr. Musk in 2022, Twitter recorded profits only twice during its eight years as a publicly traded company. This culminated in a substantial financial gain for investors when the world’s wealthiest individual paid $44 billion (£34.7 billion) to acquire ownership. At present, Bluesky’s future trajectory is uncertain, though continued growth suggests a wide range of possibilities. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC disclaims responsibility for the content of external websites. Information regarding our external linking policy is available.