Elon Musk’s election influence backfires? Users are fleeing X to Bluesky in large numbers

In the week following the US presidential election, Bluesky, a social media platform, saw a surge of over 700,000 new users, bringing its total user base to 14.5 million.

This influx is largely attributed to individuals seeking alternatives to X (formerly Twitter) and expressing concern about misinformation and offensive content on the platform.

Social media researcher Axel Bruns found that Bluesky offers a more effective system for blocking or suspending problematic accounts and monitoring harmful behavior. He explained: “It has become a haven for people who want the kind of social media experience that Twitter used to offer, but without all the far-right activism, the misinformation, the hate speech, the bots and everything else.”

Bluesky, originally a project within Twitter, became an independent company in 2022 and is now primarily owned by CEO Jay Graber. The platform previously benefited from dissatisfaction with X and its owner Elon Musk, who is closely linked to President-elect Donald Trump’s successful campaign. After rebranding to

This trend highlights a significant shift in user preferences toward platforms that emphasize effective moderation and a more positive user experience.