A new social media app, Bluesky, has generated buzz for its striking resemblance to Twitter. From profiles to timelines, the design is almost identical. Even the creator is familiar — Twitter co-founder and former CEO, Jack Dorsey.
Despite the similarities in appearance, Bluesky operates on a fundamentally different structure. Launched in a closed beta for iOS in February and for Android recently, the app uses a decentralized network. This framework gives users more control over how the platform is managed, how data is stored, and how content is moderated.
Recently, Bluesky has gained traction among journalists, politicians, and celebrities, including U.S. Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, model Chrissy Teigen, and 90s band Eve 6.
What is Bluesky?
Bluesky describes itself as a microblogging social network, where users can post updates on a timeline, much like Twitter. However, there are notable differences: the app currently lacks hashtags and direct messaging, which are key features of Twitter.
The idea for Bluesky originated while Dorsey was still CEO of Twitter, though the project became independent in February 2022. Dorsey initially envisioned the platform as an open community involving companies, organizations, researchers, and civil leaders. He has expressed regret that Twitter became a corporate entity, emphasizing that a decentralized protocol is more resistant to control by a company or state.
Bluesky’s decentralized model may remind users of Mastodon, another alternative to Twitter that gained popularity last year.
Why are people joining?
Much like Mastodon, Bluesky appeals to users dissatisfied with changes made to Twitter under Elon Musk. Since taking over, Musk has introduced a range of controversial changes, including the removal of blue check marks from high-profile users.
Many of the same prominent figures now exploring Bluesky have been vocal critics of Musk’s direction for Twitter.
Bluesky has been downloaded over 375,000 times from Apple’s App Store, according to data.ai, and is currently invite-only. The app continues to draw widespread interest, with thousands of users on the waitlist. In comparison, Twitter reported having over 200 million daily active users before Musk’s acquisition.
Although it’s too early to tell whether Bluesky will maintain its momentum or fade as Mastodon did, experts see the platform’s rise as a positive development. Mark Bartholomew, a professor specializing in online privacy at the University at Buffalo School of Law, believes that more competition could benefit users by offering greater control over features like privacy and moderation.
“All it took,” Bartholomew said, “was Musk taking steps to undermine his own platform.”
How to Join
For now, Bluesky remains invite-only. Current users receive one invite code for every two weeks they spend on the app, adding to the excitement around joining the platform. As the band Eve 6 quipped, “Bluesky invite codes are the new blue check.”
