Bluesky, a social media platform gaining popularity as an alternative to X (formerly Twitter), experienced a temporary outage on Thursday. The platform has been rapidly growing, becoming one of the most downloaded apps in the US and UK Apple Stores in recent days.
Founded by Jack Dorsey, one of Twitter’s co-founders, Bluesky distinguishes itself as a decentralized social media platform. Unlike traditional social networks, it operates on independent servers and is not owned by a single entity. The platform describes itself as “social media as it should be,” offering users the ability to post text, images, and videos, and engage in public and private conversations.
The outage was attributed to an internet provider issue, specifically a fiber cable problem between Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina, and Richmond, Virginia. Bluesky spokesperson Emily Liu confirmed that the disruption occurred outside the company’s direct control. Not all users were affected, and the issue was largely resolved by late Thursday.
The platform has experienced significant growth, particularly in the week following the US presidential election. Bluesky added 2.25 million users, with an additional one million joining within a 24-hour period. As of Thursday, the platform reached a total of 16 million users.
Many users are joining Bluesky due to dissatisfaction with X and its owner, Elon Musk. Cory Johnson from Epistrophy Capital Research noted that people are “disgusted and afraid” of Musk and the changes to Twitter. The platform has become an attractive alternative for those seeking a different social media experience.
This isn’t the first time alternative platforms have seen a surge in users. Mastodon experienced similar growth after Musk’s Twitter takeover, and both Bluesky and Meta’s Threads saw increased sign-ups throughout 2023 as Musk implemented various changes to X.
The platform’s growth has been further bolstered by high-profile decisions, such as the Guardian’s announcement that it will no longer post on X, citing concerns about the platform’s ability to shape political discourse.
Despite its growing popularity, Bluesky remains relatively small compared to larger social media platforms. It is now run by CEO Jay Graber as a US public benefit corporation, with Dorsey no longer directly involved in its operations.
During the outage, Bluesky staff maintained a lighthearted approach, with one developer joking about addressing technical issues quickly and suggesting users take a break and relax.
The platform continues to attract users looking for a more decentralized and potentially less contentious social media experience. Its unique approach and rapid growth suggest it may become a significant player in the social media landscape, offering an alternative to more established platforms.
