Bluesky Hits 16 Million Users Despite Thursday’s Outage

• Bluesky, a decentralised social networking platform, faced a temporary outage on Thursday, caused by a fibre cable disruption beyond its control, affecting some users for up to 30 minutes.
• The outage occurred amidst a surge in user sign-ups following the US election, as many users migrated from X (formerly Twitter).
• Despite the technical hiccups, Bluesky’s user base is growing rapidly and is nearing 16 million users.

Bluesky, a social media platform praised for being a more user-friendly alternative to X (formerly Twitter), faced a temporary outage on Thursday amidst a surge in new users. The disruption, which affected some users globally, occurred during a spike in platform activity, particularly following the US election. Recently, Bluesky has topped download charts in both the United States and the United Kingdom as more users leave X in search of a fresh online experience.

Outage Explained: Fibre Cable Disruption Behind the Issue

Reports of issues surfaced on Thursday, with users experiencing difficulties loading feeds and receiving notifications. Emily Liu, a Bluesky spokesperson, clarified that the outage was caused by a disruption in one of the platform’s internet provider services due to a fibre cable failure. “That means it happened outside of our company,” Liu said.

Network Issue Traced to Provider’s Infrastructure

The outage was traced to a network issue affecting part of Bluesky’s provider’s infrastructure, specifically between Raleigh and Durham, North Carolina, and Richmond, Virginia. While the disruption lasted between 15 and 30 minutes for some users, not everyone experienced the problem. By the end of the day, the issue was resolved, though thousands of users had reported the outage on Downdetector.

Bluesky’s Rapid Growth: 2.25 Million New Sign-Ups in One Week

The outage occurred amid a period of rapid growth for Bluesky, which saw 2.25 million new sign-ups in just one week following the US election. By Wednesday, the platform’s user base had reached 15 million, and by Thursday afternoon, it had surged to 16 million. Despite this impressive growth, Bluesky still has a long way to go before it can compete with giants like X, which has over 250 million daily users, and Meta’s Threads, which boasts nearly 275 million monthly users.

Decentralisation: The Key to Bluesky’s Appeal

Bluesky, created by Jack Dorsey, co-founder of Twitter, stands out for its decentralised structure. Unlike traditional social media platforms, Bluesky operates on independent servers instead of those controlled by a single corporation. This model has appealed to users concerned about the centralised control and policies of platforms like X. Many of Bluesky’s new members have expressed frustration with Elon Musk’s leadership at X and his support for Donald Trump’s presidential campaign as their main reasons for making the switch.

Growing Discontent with X: Bluesky Emerges as a Leading Alternative

“People are both disgusted and afraid of Elon Musk and what Twitter has become,” said Cory Johnson, Chief Market Strategist at Epistrophy Capital Research. “Users are fleeing X, and Bluesky and Threads are the beneficiaries.”

Bluesky’s surge in popularity mirrors growing discontent with X, as notable figures and media outlets make the switch. Last week, The Guardian announced it would stop posting on X, citing concerns over Musk’s use of the platform to influence political discourse. Celebrities like Don Lemon, who also departed X, are encouraging their followers to join Bluesky, with Lemon’s final post reading, “Follow me on Bluesky.”

User Migration Accelerated by Upcoming Terms of Service Changes

Bluesky’s rapid growth is also fuelled by users migrating from X ahead of significant changes to its terms of service. Starting Friday, users must agree to resolve any legal disputes in a federal court in northern Texas, a move analysts believe may give X a strategic advantage.

Despite the brief outage, Bluesky’s engineering team kept users updated with regular communication from CTO Paul Frazee and developer Samuel Newman. Frazee lightened the mood during the downtime with a playful message, saying, “Today will get interesting! If the site goes down, maybe grab a soda, pet the kitty. We’ll hit it with a wrench as fast as we can.”

While the disruption was short-lived, it underscores the challenges platforms face as they scale quickly. Bluesky’s decentralised nature, which offers greater control and privacy, also brings technical complexities as the network grows.

Bluesky’s Bright Future Despite Minor Setback

As Bluesky continues to attract millions of new users looking for an alternative to other social media platforms, this minor outage is unlikely to hinder its progress.  The platform’s appeal goes beyond its technical features, as it offers a more transparent and user-focused experience for those disillusioned with platforms like X.

With growing media attention and support from influencers, Bluesky is emerging as a promising contender in the crowded social media landscape. Though the outage may have been inconvenient for some, it hasn’t diminished the excitement around a platform that promises to be a more open, user-friendly alternative in an era of shifting social media dynamics.