A Brazilian court’s decision to block social network X has sparked a wave of interest in its competitors, particularly microblogging platform Bluesky. The company reported record engagement, with 500,000 new users joining Bluesky in two days, TechCrunch reported. It also topped the free iPhone app rankings in Brazil, beating out Meta’s Threads.
Bluesky CEO Jay Graber wrote of the app’s surge in rankings, “Good job. Brazilians made the right choice.” The growth is especially impressive considering the decentralized social network only launched in February. Graber humorously acknowledges its small size compared to competitors like X and Threads, calling the product “the runt of social apps.” Founded by Twitter founder Jack Dorsey and first announced in 2019, the company claimed to have over 6 million registered users as of May 2024.
Legal Battle and Political Implications
Meanwhile, Elon Musk’s X platform has found itself embroiled in an escalating legal dispute with Brazilian Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes over its refusal to block certain accounts as part of a broader campaign to combat what de Moraes called election misinformation. Earlier this month, X announced it was ceasing operations in Brazil, after which de Moraes warned the company it would be blocked unless it appointed a legal representative in the country. On Friday, he followed through on that promise, also threatening fines for users who tried to circumvent the ban.
As the ban approached, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva bid farewell to his X followers by posting links to his other social media accounts, starting with Bluesky. This event, together with the active information campaign of the authorities, apparently became the decisive factor for the mass transition of users to alternative platforms, which had a positive effect on the ratings of other social networks, notes NIX Solutions.
The situation continues to evolve rapidly, and we’ll keep you updated on any new developments in this ongoing story. The impact of X’s ban in Brazil may have far-reaching consequences for the social media landscape, not only in the country but potentially on a global scale. As users migrate to alternative platforms, it remains to be seen how this shift will affect the long-term dynamics of social media competition and user preferences.