Bluesky, a new social media platform, is gaining traction with disillusioned users of X (formerly known as Twitter), as it offers a potential alternative to Elon Musk’s revamped platform. With approximately 19 million users and rapid growth, Bluesky is adding about 10,000 new users every 10-15 minutes.

This growth is fueled by a surge of dissatisfaction with X’s changes, particularly regarding its political direction and functionality, such as the inability to block certain accounts.

bluesky's user count grew by another million today

welcome to all 19M of you 🥳https://t.co/x6v5YW0WFT pic.twitter.com/FtCvcyyr20

— bluesky (@bluesky) November 18, 2024

The platform was created by Jack Dorsey, the former CEO of Twitter, with the vision of being a decentralized social media network, not controlled by a single entity. While Dorsey has since stepped down from the board, Bluesky is now led by CEO Jay Graber.

One of its key features is the ability for users to host their data on independent servers, providing more control over their information.

“The state of most social platforms right now is that users are locked in and developers are locked out. We want to build something that makes sure users have the freedom to move and developers have the freedom to build.”

— Jay Graber, CEOhttps://t.co/x6v5YW0WFT pic.twitter.com/8aF5l9AVtv

— bluesky (@bluesky) November 17, 2024

Bluesky operates using the AT Protocol, an open-source technology that allows for interoperability between different social networks built on the same protocol.

This means that users can bring their followers and content with them if they move to another network that supports AT Protocol, offering more flexibility compared to traditional platforms like Twitter.

Despite being smaller than Meta’s Threads or X, Bluesky’s unique features, such as decentralization and data portability, position it as a noteworthy competitor.

The platform continues to explore monetization strategies, potentially avoiding ads in favor of subscription models to generate revenue.

The app has generated significant interest in markets like the UK and North America and has seen substantial growth, particularly in the wake of increasing frustration with X’s evolving policies.