Bluesky Hits Record High in Daily Active Users After Elon Musk Announces Subscription Fee for X

Bluesky, a decentralized social network that is still in its early stages of development, has seen a record surge in daily active users after Elon Musk announced that he would begin charging all X users a small monthly fee to use its services.

According to analytics firm Similarweb, Bluesky’s Android app saw half a million daily active users on the day of Musk’s announcement, September 18, and its web traffic surged even higher, with over 775,000 daily visitors. This represents a 20.6% increase in daily active users on Android and a 30% increase in daily visitors on the web from the day prior.

The surge in traffic was so great that Bluesky was forced to temporarily halt new user sign-ups as its website buckled under the influx.

This is not the first time that Bluesky has benefited from Musk’s missteps with X. In the past, Bluesky has seen similar surges in traffic after other X controversies, such as the imposition of temporary rate limits on the number of tweets users could view and the announcement of the end of blocks.

Despite Bluesky’s recent growth, it is still a very small platform compared to X. Bluesky currently has just over 1 million users, while X has over 550 million monthly active users.

However, the fact that Bluesky is able to consistently benefit from X’s blunders suggests that there is a growing appetite for alternatives to X. Bluesky’s decentralized architecture and commitment to free speech make it a particularly attractive option for users who are dissatisfied with X’s direction.

Here are some additional details and insights:

Bluesky is still invite-only, so the surge in usage this week could have been even higher if it had opened up its doors to anyone interested in joining.
Bluesky is the largest of the microblogging networks that are directly competing with X, but it is still very small compared to X.
Despite its small size, Bluesky is growing rapidly and is well-positioned to capitalize on X’s missteps.
Bluesky’s decentralized architecture and commitment to free speech make it a particularly attractive option for users who are dissatisfied with X’s direction.

Overall, the article provides a good overview of Bluesky’s recent growth and its potential as a competitor to X. The article also highlights the risks that X faces as it continues to alienate its users.

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Social Tech

TikTok Denies Reports of Potential US Sale to Elon Musk

by George Mensah 2025-01-19

TikTok has categorically denied reports suggesting that its U.S. operations might be sold to billionaire Elon Musk.

This statement came in response to a Bloomberg report claiming that Chinese officials were considering selling TikTok’s U.S. business to Musk if their efforts to overturn an impending ban in the Supreme Court failed.

“We can’t be expected to comment on pure fiction,” a TikTok spokesperson told Variety.

TikTok’s Legal Battle Over U.S. Ban

The platform is currently awaiting a Supreme Court ruling on whether the ban violates the First Amendment. On January 10, justices heard arguments, with initial indications suggesting they might uphold the ban. The restriction is set to take effect on January 19.

The ban stems from legislation signed by President Joe Biden in April 2024, allowing the government to block foreign-owned apps viewed as potential threats to national security. TikTok faces a January 19 deadline to divest its U.S. operations or risk removal from app stores across the country. Instead of complying, TikTok has chosen to challenge the law in court.

Reports of Contingency Plans

According to Bloomberg, Chinese officials are reportedly exploring alternative options, including the possibility of selling TikTok’s U.S. branch. One scenario mentioned involves Musk’s company, X (formerly Twitter), taking over TikTok’s U.S. operations in collaboration with ByteDance, the app’s Chinese parent company.

This speculation has drawn attention due to Musk’s perceived alignment with President-elect Donald Trump. Trump recently requested the Supreme Court delay the ban, stating his intention to address the issue diplomatically after taking office.

Broader Context and Implications

The situation highlights the ongoing tension between the U.S. and China over issues such as data security and technological influence. While TikTok has consistently denied accusations of data misuse or ties to the Chinese government, the app has become a flashpoint in broader geopolitical conflicts.

A potential sale to Musk could significantly reshape TikTok’s U.S. operations, aligning them with the vision of an entrepreneur already transforming social media under his leadership. However, TikTok’s outright dismissal of such claims indicates its commitment to maintaining its independence and fighting the ban through legal channels.

As the Supreme Court decision looms, the future of TikTok in the U.S. hangs in the balance, with far-reaching implications for its American user base and the global tech ecosystem.

Social Tech

Why changes to the block on Elon Musk’s X are driving users away

by George Mensah 2024-10-19

Elon Musk’s platform X is preparing to overhaul its block function, breaking away from traditional social media practices. Under the new policy, blocked users will still be able to view the posts of the person who blocked them, as long as the posts are public. However, they will be restricted from liking, reposting, or replying to these posts.

Musk has previously voiced his opinion on the issue, stating, “Blocking public posts makes no sense. It needs to be replaced by a stronger mute function.” Jack Dorsey, former Twitter co-founder and CEO, also supports this approach.

Elon Musk’s X are driving users away

While Musk and Dorsey argue that blocking public posts is redundant—since anyone can access them by simply logging out—others, like Tracy Chou, founder of the anti-harassment tool Block Party, believe the block function provides an essential layer of protection. Chou stated on X, “The friction matters! Making it easier for people to engage in harmful behavior isn’t a good thing.”

In response to the proposed changes, many X users are exploring alternatives, leading to a significant rise in activity on platforms like Bluesky. Over a two-day span, Bluesky saw 1.2 million new users and climbed to the second spot in the U.S. App Store’s Social Networking category, a dramatic jump from its previous ranking of 181.

Though user spikes don’t always translate into sustained engagement, this policy shift could have more lasting effects compared to X’s previous changes, such as its rebranding from Twitter. The adjustment focuses on the rights of blocked users, potentially putting those who rely on blocking for protection at greater risk.

X’s engineering team defended the update, stating, “Currently, block can be used to hide harmful or private information. With this change, users will gain more transparency and visibility into these behaviors.”

As X continues to evolve under Musk’s leadership, these changes may lead to a shift in user behavior, with more people seeking alternatives, potentially reshaping the social media landscape.

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