After X Ban in Brazil, BLUESKY Becomes the Most Downloaded App
The Brazilian court’s decision to ban X (formerly known as Twitter) is a boon for its competitors, especially Bluesky . The microblogging platform has seen unprecedented growth, adding 500,000 new users in the past two days, and has reached the top spot on the list of free iPhone apps in Brazil, overtaking Threads, which is in second place.
Bluesky CEO Jay Graber celebrated the milestone on social media, saying, “Good job, Brazil, you made the right decision.” The growth is remarkable for a platform that opened fully to the public in February and which humorously calls itself “the shorthand king of social apps.” As of May 2024, Bluesky had more than 6 million users.
Bluesky was launched in 2019 as a Twitter-backed initiative to build an open, decentralized social protocol. It has since become an independent public-benefit company. Twitter founder Jack Dorsey left the board earlier this year.
Elsewhere, X, led by Elon Musk, has entered into a legal battle with Brazilian Supreme Court Judge Alexandre de Moraes. The conflict arose over X’s refusal to ban certain accounts as part of a broader campaign against electoral disinformation. X announced earlier this month that it would shut down its operations in Brazil, and after failing to appoint a legal representative in the country, Moraes continued the ban. It also warned users who try to evade the ban using a VPN that they could face fines.
Faced with an impending ban, Brazil’s President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said goodbye to his followers on X by redirecting them to his other social media accounts, starting with Bluesky. This platform change by a high-profile political leader could have contributed to the surge in new users joining Bluesky in recent days.
The ban on Facebook in Brazil opened a window of opportunity for Bluesky, which it has used to position itself as one of the country's leading social platforms.
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