THERE is a brand new social media platform taking the app store by storm.
Bluesky – which was announced in 2019 – has blown up in recent weeks and currently has over 19 million users at the time of writing.
A live tracker is available online to follows the sites explosive growth in what appears to be a mass exodus from Elon Musk’s platform X, formerly known as Twitter.
Since September of this year, the app has gained over six million users, mainly from North America, the UK, and Ireland.
Bluesky allows people to interact with each other in a similar way to X, posting, replying and messaging one another on a vertical user interface.
To put it simply, it looks how X, formerly known as Twitter, used to look.
However, unlike its rival, Bluesky, which was invitation only until February of this year, offers users the chance to more heavily moderate their experience.
This means those signing up have the ability to select the algorithm that drives what they see, which helps create custom feeds.
Bluesky also allows users to have website addresses as their handles.
The platform said: “We aim to replace the conventional ‘master algorithm’, controlled by a single company, with an open and diverse ‘marketplace of algorithms’.”
The project was first announced on Twitter in 2019 by the former CEO, Jack Dorsey.
He wrote: “Twitter is funding a small independent team of up to five open source architects, engineers, and designers to develop an open and decentralized standard for social media.
“The goal is for Twitter to ultimately be a client of this standard.”
Bluesky became an independent company in 2021 and is now primarily owned by the chief executive, Jay Graber.
On November 15, Jay revealed that the platform is growing by 10,000 users every 10 to 15 minutes.
WHY ARE PEOPLE LEAVING X?
Both Elon Musk, who shelled out $44 billion to buy Twitter in 2022, and X has come under increased scrutiny since he took over the site.
Some have complained that X was allowing misleading information to be spread across the platform.
With 203 million followers, Musk has the biggest reach on X.
And the billionaire has been accused of engaging with misleading content and accounts known for spreading misinformation.
Since it became possible to buy a blue tick, which was once the only indicator of an account’s legitimacy, X’s verification feature has also come under fire.
X users have also reported an increase in “bots”, which make the site difficult to use.
Musk was a big backer of Donald Trump during his campaign and it has been confirmed that he will be involved in the president’s administration.
And, following Donald Trump’s success in the US elections in November, the number of new Bluesky users spiked with around one million users signing up for the social media site in the week following the results.
WHAT MAKES BLUESKY DIFFERENT?
Bluesky offers users the chance to more heavily moderate their experience, including the ability to select the algorithm powering the experience and creating custom feeds.
This could include a feed for mutual followers, a feed for cat photos or one for your special interest.
The social media app also allows users to have domains as their handles.
It anticipates that this could act as a verification tool for journalists, athletes and public figures who have a company’s website in their handle.
Bluesky proudly displays its “anti-toxicity features”.
This appears in stark contrast to X which recently altering the block function to let users view the posts of public accounts that have blocked them.
An option to “detach” the original post from someone else’s quote post is among the options that the site offers.
WHAT FAMILIAR IRISH FACES HAVE SIGNED UP?
Since its launch, several high profile people have made the switch to Bluesky – including some familiar Irish faces.
Taoiseach Simon Harris was one of the first major political figures from Ireland to join the platform.
His first post said: “Good to join. Another way to keep in contact and to keep you up to date on my work.”
And in recent days, he used his platform to announce the launch of the Fine Gael Manifesto and a five-year plan, but also posted this on X.
RTE Upfront presenter Katie Hannon, who hosted the leaders debate last night, and a number of prominent journalists from Ireland have also signed up to the platform.
Comedian Dara O’Briain has also signed up to the platform.
