Last week, Brazil made the decision to ban the X (formerly Twitter) app, leading to a surge in popularity for Bluesky, the platform developed by Twitter’s co-founder Jack Dorsey. Following the X ban, Bluesky gained over 1 million new users in a short period.
Bluesky Gains 1 Million Users After X Ban in Brazil
At the end of August, Brazil decided to completely suspend X’s operations in the country. The ban was triggered by the platform’s reactivation of accounts that supported former President Jair Bolsonaro.
With X no longer accessible in Brazil, users began searching for alternative social media platforms. Bluesky, which was launched earlier this year and has been a vocal opponent of the monopolization of platforms like Twitter, saw a resurgence in popularity due to the ban in Brazil.
Bluesky’s blue and white design closely resembles the X interface. Although still much smaller than giants like Threads and X, Bluesky doubled its user base last month and is now estimated to have over 7.79 million users worldwide.
A spokesperson for Bluesky expressed excitement about welcoming users seeking alternatives in the wake of the events in Brazil. The platform reiterated its commitment to openness, transparency, and a human-centered approach.
Whether Bluesky can maintain its momentum or if users will eventually return to larger platforms like X remains to be seen. For now, however, Bluesky is benefiting from the situation in Brazil.
Bluesky’s rapid growth following the X ban in Brazil highlights the ongoing demand for alternative social media platforms, especially when dominant players face restrictions. It will be interesting to see if Bluesky can capitalize on this momentum and continue to attract users, or if this is just a temporary spike.
How do you think this will play out? Will Bluesky become a long-term competitor, or will users eventually return to X? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
