Bluesky, a decentralized social media network, is rapidly emerging as a viable alternative to Twitter (now X) and Meta’s Threads. The startup has witnessed a notable surge in user growth, gaining 8.7 million new users since the U.S. presidential election, bringing its total user count to over 22 million. This growth follows a series of expansions that began more than a year ago, sparked by high-profile events such as X’s temporary ban in Brazil and its limits on daily post views in 2023.
Founded in 2021, Bluesky began as an internal project at Twitter under the leadership of Jack Dorsey, with Jay Graber appointed to develop a decentralized social network. This project allowed users to be in control of their data as well, where they can share their profiles across multiple platforms by using the open-source protocol given by Bluesky. In 2021, it was officially incorporated and was just released its waitlist in 2022 before Elon Musk acquires Twitter that creates a frenzy wave across users, in 2023, after several loosening of waitlists, the open invitation has created an increasing number of its user bases.
Bluesky’s success is partly attributed to its decentralized model, which allows users to move their data freely between platforms, making the service “billionaire-proof,” as CEO Graber has pointed out. Unlike centralized platforms like Twitter or Meta, Bluesky is open-source and offers a level of autonomy and flexibility that appeals to users wary of corporate control. The departure of Dorsey from the Bluesky board in 2023 further cemented its independence, resonating with users who value decentralization.
Despite its growing popularity, Bluesky has no immediate plans to integrate traditional advertising. While advertisers are showing interest, Bluesky’s leadership is wary of implementing intrusive ads, preferring models that align with user preferences and respect the platform’s organic experience. COO Rose Wang emphasized that any future monetization would focus on maintaining a non-intrusive, user-centered approach, similar to Reddit’s community-based advertising.
While growth would continue for Bluesky, its capacity to be uniquely decentralized might position it well to be one of the cornerstones of the social media ecosystem. Long-term success would come by trying to balance user satisfaction and monetization challenges, while at all costs being very consistent about staying as decentralized as possible.
