Can Bluesky Social Media Replace Twitter?

 

The social media app bluesky has a lot of people buzzing. It's the new kid on the block that has garnered attention from both tech journalists and some well-known internet users. But can it really replace Twitter? It's still early days for Bluesky, which launched last month. It's currently invite-only as it ramps up support for its network, with existing members getting one new invite code to share every two weeks. But 1.9 million people are on its waitlist.

For now, Bluesky looks a lot like Twitter, with its 300-character posts, the ability to comment and repost messages, a "What's Hot" feed, and a chronological "Following" feed for accounts you follow. It doesn't have the same functionality as Twitter's DMs or video content, though it will eventually add those features.

But the biggest difference between the app and traditional social media is its ethos. Bluesky has a more positive vibe, and users seem to be treating it with more civility. That's likely due to a smaller and more selective user base, but it could also reflect the fact that the founders of Bluesky deliberately tried to curate the platform from the beginning.

Unlike Twitter, which has become something of a cesspool and a magnet for online bullying and harassment, Bluesky seems to be doing more to address those issues. It recently partnered with nonprofit nonprofit Better Together to help create a community of people committed to being nicer on the site. And it has a number of rules in place that discourage negative behavior.

It's not clear whether that commitment to positivity Bluesky login will translate into long-term success, but it's encouraging to see a social media site with good intentions for once. If Bluesky can keep up the momentum and avoid the traps that have brought down so many others, it may be able to offer a real alternative to Twitter's more toxic environment.

In addition to a generally more pleasant atmosphere, it's worth noting that the app is attracting some big-name internet figures who are looking for an alternative to the current zeitgeist of Twitter. The model Chrissy Teigen, for example, is an active user, as is U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, while Dril, a popular meme account that pokes fun at Elon Musk, is also on the platform.

That doesn't necessarily mean Bluesky will be able to attract enough users to compete with Twitter, which has more than 800 million registered users. But it does suggest that some influencers are concerned that Twitter could lose its appeal if it starts to censor or limit content. And if that happens, Bluesky could become the next big thing.