Bluesky Sees User Boom after X Banned in Brazil

Bluesky has surged in popularity following a Brazilian court’s decision to ban X (formerly Twitter). The platform reported a significant spike in activity, with 500,000 new users joining in just two days. This rapid growth propelled Bluesky to the top of the free iPhone app chart in Brazil, surpassing Meta’s Threads, which ranks second.

Jay Graber, Bluesky’s CEO, celebrated the achievement by praising Brazilian users for making what he called “the right choice.” This surge is particularly notable for Bluesky, which only fully launched to the public in February. Despite its relatively small size compared to industry giants like X and Threads, Bluesky has managed to carve out a significant niche, with over 6 million users as of May 2024.

Bluesky’s rise comes in the wake of growing legal tensions between X and Brazil’s Supreme Court. The conflict began when X refused to block certain accounts accused of spreading election disinformation. In response, Brazil’s Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes issued a ban on the platform, further threatening fines against users attempting to bypass the ban using VPNs.

X had earlier announced plans to shut down its operations in Brazil, but the court’s decision expedited this process. At the tail end of August 2024, X was officially banned in Brazil, with users being fined if they circumvented the ban to visit what is now considered an illegal platform.

While X being unbanned in the future is definitely possible, the shift in users towards Bluesky has been a significant upset for both platforms. Brazilian artists and creators formed a significant part of many X communities both locally and internaitonally, and their shift to Bluesky has undoubtedly brought many fans with them.