Bluesky soars in popularity after Brazil’s X ban, gains one million users in three days

Bluesky, a decentralized social media platform founded by former Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey, has seen an unprecedented rise in downloads following Brazil’s ban on X.

The ban, enacted by Brazil’s Supreme Court, has prompted a substantial increase of users to Bluesky, which has now topped the iPhone app charts in Brazil as the most popular free app.

“Brazil, you're setting new all-time highs for activity on Bluesky!” said Bluesky on a post on the platform.

In another post, the social media platform said that it had added a million users in just three days. “Wow... welcome to the ONE MILLION new users in the last three days!!!”

The decision to ban X was the culmination of an extended legal dispute between X and Brazil’s Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes.

The conflict arose from X’s refusal to block certain accounts accused of disseminating election misinformation.

In response to this, X declared its intention to cease operations in Brazil, prompting the court to enforce the ban and threaten fines for users trying to bypass it with VPNs.

Bluesky, initially launched in 2019 with backing from Twitter, has emerged as a prominent alternative for Brazilian users.

Following the ban, Bluesky has seen a significant increase in downloads, with CEO Jay Graber expressing satisfaction over the development, stating, “Good job Brazil, you made the right choice.”

Since its full public release in February 2024, Bluesky now boasts over 7.6 million users, with a substantial portion coming from Brazil.

Although Bluesky competes with X and Meta’s Threads, it has yet to achieve mainstream status. Nonetheless, the increase of Brazilian users has significantly boosted its visibility.

In reaction to the ban, Elon Musk criticized de Moraes on X, labeling him a "dictator" and accusing the Brazilian judiciary of censorship.

Musk, known for his advocacy of free speech, has faced criticism for not adhering to Brazilian regulations, sparking a broader discussion about the role of social media platforms and their compliance with national laws.