A recent Brazilian court ruling banning X, formerly Twitter, has inadvertently given a major boost to its competitors, particularly Bluesky, which is experiencing a remarkable surge in users.
Bluesky Sees Unprecedented Growth
Bluesky, a decentralized microblogging platform, has reported a dramatic increase in user activity following the ban on X. The platform announced on Friday that it added 500,000 new users in just two days, setting an all-time record for the service. In Brazil, Bluesky has skyrocketed to the top of the free iPhone app charts, surpassing Meta’s Threads, which now holds the second position.
“Brazil, you’re setting new records for activity on Bluesky!” the platform’s official account cheered, celebrating the influx of new users.
Bluesky’s developer, Paul Frazee, acknowledged the unexpected spike in traffic and warned users of potential outages and performance issues. “We’ve never seen traffic like this before. Please bear with us as we adjust,” Frazee said. Despite these hurdles, Bluesky CEO Jay Graber expressed appreciation for the Brazilian user base, stating, “Good job Brazil, you made the right choice.”
Bluesky’s Rapid Rise
Bluesky’s swift growth is impressive, considering it only opened to the public in February. Despite being relatively new and smaller compared to giants like X and Threads, Bluesky has quickly gained traction, even humorously referring to itself as “the short king of social apps.” By May 2024, the platform had over 6 million users.
Initially launched in 2019 as a Twitter-supported project to create a decentralized social network, Bluesky has since become an independent public benefit corporation. Twitter founder Jack Dorsey, who helped initiate the project, stepped down from the board earlier this year.
Legal Clash Between X and Brazilian Authorities
While Bluesky thrives, X faces mounting legal troubles in Brazil. The platform is entangled in a dispute with Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes over its refusal to block certain accounts as part of a crackdown on election disinformation. Moraes has warned that X would be banned if it failed to comply with legal demands, including naming a legal representative in Brazil.
Bluesky, while similar in appearance to X, operates differently due to its decentralized nature. It runs on the AT Protocol, which Bluesky also developed, and uses a system called “relay” to handle data flow. Frazee highlighted a new achievement, reporting that Bluesky was processing 1,000 events per second on its relay, underscoring the platform’s rapid expansion.
Mastodon Also Benefits
Bluesky isn’t the only platform seeing gains from X’s ban. Mastodon, another decentralized network, has experienced increased sign-ups and traffic from Brazil. Mastodon’s founder, Eugen Rochko, reported a significant rise in Brazilian users, from nearly zero to around 3,550 in just two days. Rochko noted that additional growth might be occurring on third-party servers, but Mastodon lacks visibility into these activities due to its decentralized nature.
Impact of the X Ban
The ban on X in Brazil has significant implications, not just for the company but for the broader social media landscape. X’s recent announcement of its plan to cease operations in Brazil prompted Justice Moraes to enforce the ban and threaten fines against users using VPNs to circumvent it.
In a move that likely influenced Bluesky’s surge, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva directed his X followers to other platforms, prominently featuring Bluesky. This endorsement by a major public figure contributed to Bluesky’s rapid rise in popularity.
The ban on X represents a major shift in Brazil’s social media environment. As users look for alternatives, platforms like Bluesky and Mastodon are well-positioned to attract those dissatisfied with traditional, centralized social media giants. The swift rise of Bluesky highlights a growing interest in decentralized platforms that emphasize user control and data privacy.
