Tech Desk
Sep 01, 2024
Brazil's ban on the microblogging platform X, formerly called Twitter, sent users flocking to its rival platform Bluesky. The platform has gained 500,000 new users in just two days, posting "all-time highs" in all activities.
Bluesky is also now the most downloaded free iPhone app in Brazil, beating Meta's Threads.
Launched in February, Bluesky has grown heavily, reaching over 6 million users in May 2024. It owes its momentum to being one of the few decentralised social protocols on the market today with an open approach that has appealed to people looking for alternative social networks.
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However, the independence and unique direction of Bluesky have only been contributed to by Twitter founder Jack Dorsey both being a part of the board and leaving it.
Brazil's Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes has banned the platform in the country due to a legal battle. X's refusal to block certain accounts, deemed to be spreading election disinformation, resulted in the ban.
This merely accounts for Bluesky's rise into prominence because it has strongly identified itself with open and decentralised social media. The unique approach in how Bluesky operates placed it very much at the forefront of this current market as users increasingly look elsewhere. "Good job Brazil, you made the right choice," says Bluesky CEO Jay Graber.
