Elon Musk’s social media platform X is seeing a growing exodus of users, including high-profile names like Jamie Lee Curtis and institutions like The Guardian. Many are migrating to Bluesky, a platform founded by former Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey, known for its stronger moderation policies.
This week alone, Bluesky reported a surge of one million new users in a single day, partly driven by Musk’s controversial alignment with Donald Trump.
Social media expert Adam Tinworth explains that while politics play a role, the declining user experience on X, exacerbated by Musk’s workforce cuts and algorithm changes, is a major factor. “The lack of moderation and resources has made the platform less reliable,” he notes.
Jason Barnard, CEO of Kalicube, highlights another issue: Google’s trust in X is diminishing. Bluesky, though smaller, is increasingly seen as a more credible source for factual information. As more users join Bluesky, search engines like Google and AI tools like ChatGPT are likely to rely on it even more.
However, X isn’t the only platform facing migration. Users are also flocking to alternatives like Mastodon, Threads, LinkedIn, and Discord. Tinworth points out that this fragmentation of the social media landscape could lead to ideological silos, increasing political divisiveness.
While Bluesky is gaining momentum, its success depends on reaching a critical mass of users. According to Tinworth, “It’s possible Bluesky could replace X, but it’s still building towards sustainability.” Meanwhile, X risks becoming an echo chamber for right-wing voices as left-leaning users leave for other platforms.
