Social media is constantly evolving, and two platforms are currently vying for the top spot: Bluesky vs X (formerly Twitter). While X continues to go through changes under Elon Musk, Bluesky is the newbie offering a fresh alternative. This blog will deep dive into what exactly the differences are and if Bluesky might overtake X sometime soon!
Bluesky: A Community-Focused Alternative
Bluesky has been gaining traction rapidly, with over a million users joining daily. Its emphasis on customisation and community-driven features sets it apart from other social media platforms.
Key Features of Bluesky
Customised Feeds: Users can create unique feeds, such as ‘Quiet Posters,’ which highlights posts from people they follow who don’t post often. This ensures that all voices get heard, not just the loudest ones!
Starter Packs: New members can receive curated lists of people to follow based on their interests, meaning starting from zero isn’t really starting from zero as you’ll have a pack of people with your interests right from the start!
No Link Suppression: Unlike X, Bluesky does not suppress posts containing external links, allowing for seamless content sharing across the internet!
Sky Digest App: An integrated site that gives users a digest of the popular links in their network, allowing users to browse and see what people are sharing and what blog posts and articles people are loving!
Integrated YouTube Videos: Bluesky allows YouTube videos to play directly within the feed, making media consumption a lot more convenient.
Open Protocol Foundation: Bluesky operates on an open protocol, similar to email. Just as you can send an email from Gmail to Outlook, Bluesky ensures interoperability between different apps built on the same protocol. This decentralisation means no single entity has total control over the platform.
X: A Social Media Giant On The Edge…
Ever since Elon Musk took over Twitter and rebranded it as X, the platform has seen a series of controversial changes. While X still boasts a massive user base, its restrictive policies and ad-driven model have sent many flocking to Bluesky!
Key Issues with X
Suppression of Link Sharing: X limits the reach of posts containing links, discouraging users from sharing articles, blogs, and external content.
The Demise of Nuzzel: Musk’s buying Twitter also meant he bought Nuzzel, a popular service that curated top links shared on Twitter into one feed. Instead of leveraging it, Musk shut it down and introduced expensive APIs that prevent similar services from emerging.
Poor YouTube Integration: Unlike Bluesky, where YouTube videos play directly in the feed, X forces users to open them in a new tab, disrupting the browsing experience.
Ad-Driven Model: X remains a highly centralised platform funded primarily from ads. This leads to a cluttered feed with ads popping up every three or so posts.
Monetised Controversy: Popular tweets can generate revenue through ad sharing, leading to a rise in emotionally charged and angry content. The more outrage a post generates, the more engagement it gets, leading to more money for the creator.
The Verdict: Bluesky’s Rise in Popularity
While X users try to keep up with new changes, Bluesky is proving to be an appealing alternative with its user-centric features and decentralised approach.
By focusing on community engagement, customisation, and openness, Bluesky is offering a refreshing social media experience that many find more enjoyable and sustainable.
For those tired of X’s algorithm driven, ad heavy, and controversy fuelled environment, Bluesky might be the better option. Whether Bluesky can fully replace X remains to be seen, but one thing is clear: users are seeking a better, fairer, and more open way to connect online.
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