Bluesky, the rapidly growing social media platform, has experienced a meteoric rise in popularity, largely due to its decentralized approach and appeal as an alternative to major platforms like X and Meta’s Threads. With over 25 million users and soaring engagement, the platform has positioned itself as a promising competitor to traditional social networks. Yet, as Bluesky’s user base expands, it faces growing pains that threaten its ability to maintain its unique identity and vision.
Since its inception, Bluesky has attracted users who are disillusioned by centralized social media platforms. Founded by former Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey, Bluesky was designed to be an open-source, decentralized social networking service where users have more control over their online experience. This vision struck a chord with those seeking an alternative to the algorithm-driven content that has dominated platforms like X (formerly Twitter) and Meta’s Instagram and Facebook. As a result, Bluesky has become a haven for users who want to escape the polarization and content manipulation seen on larger platforms.
Bluesky’s rapid growth, however, has also brought a surge of challenges. The platform’s transition from an invitation-only model to a public-facing service has opened the floodgates to new users—and also to bots and spam. While bots have become a pervasive problem on larger platforms, Bluesky now finds itself at a crossroads. The sudden influx of users has led to a rise in malicious activity, including automated accounts spreading divisive content and impersonating real users. The platform’s small moderation team, which had been adequate when Bluesky was a niche service, is now struggling to keep up with the scale of these problems.
According to experts, such as Laura Edelson, assistant professor of computer science at Northeastern University, Bluesky’s growing pains are a natural consequence of its rapid success. “It’s now worth it for people to flood the platform with spam,” Edelson explains. Bluesky’s small team, however, does not have the resources of larger social media giants to quickly scale its moderation efforts. With an influx of new users comes the inevitable rise in bot activity, and Bluesky must address this challenge quickly if it hopes to maintain its growth trajectory.
Bluesky’s response to these challenges has been to increase its efforts to fight bots and impersonator accounts. The company recently quadrupled its moderation team and introduced new systems to detect impersonation and address other harmful content. Additionally, Bluesky has developed a system that allows users to subscribe to third-party “Labelers,” who help moderate content by tagging accounts with warnings or context. While this decentralized moderation system is unique to Bluesky, it also creates a challenge in terms of consistency and scalability as the platform grows.
Despite these efforts, Bluesky’s vision of a decentralized social media network free from corporate control is at risk of being overshadowed by the very issues it was created to avoid. As Claire Wardle, an expert in misinformation from Cornell University, points out, the platform’s growth has attracted those who seek to manipulate the system for their agendas. “When you get lots of people in a place, and there are eyeballs, it means that it’s in other people’s interests to use bots to create, you know, information that aligns with their perspective,” Wardle says. In other words, as Bluesky becomes more popular, it inevitably attracts those seeking to exploit its open platform for divisive or malicious purposes.
Moreover, the platform faces challenges beyond bots and impersonators. Bluesky’s text-based format, which is central to its identity, may be falling out of favor with younger generations who are increasingly flocking to visually oriented platforms like TikTok and Instagram. A recent Pew Research Center survey found that only 17% of American teenagers use X, down from 23% in 2022, signaling a growing trend away from text-heavy social media platforms. As a text-based social network, Bluesky may struggle to appeal to younger users who prioritize visual content over written posts.
Another significant challenge for Bluesky is the issue of political polarization. While Bluesky’s mission is to offer an alternative to traditional social media platforms, it cannot escape the reality that users are increasingly drawn to platforms that align with their political views. Bluesky has attracted a significant number of users seeking to escape what they perceive as the right-wing tilt of Elon Musk’s X, but this has also led to a polarized user base. “Bluesky is not trying to be all things to all people,” says Wardle. “The days of a Facebook or Instagram emerging where they’re ‘trying to keep everybody happy’ are over.” The rise of political echo chambers on social media has created challenges for Bluesky as it attempts to maintain a broad appeal.
Bluesky is at a crossroads: it must quickly address the issues of bot activity and political polarization while staying true to its original mission of decentralization and user control. The platform’s growing popularity is a double-edged sword—while it has attracted a large and engaged user base, it has also exposed the platform to the same problems that have plagued other social media networks. As Bluesky continues to scale, it must navigate the delicate balance between maintaining its grassroots ethos and ensuring that it can manage the challenges that come with success.
The rise of disinformation and political polarization on social media is a global issue, and Bluesky is not immune. A report by the disinformation research group Alethea highlighted a false claim about ABC News that had circulated on Russian Telegram channels and made its way to Bluesky. This raises concerns about the platform’s vulnerability to foreign influence and its ability to maintain a neutral space free from political manipulation. As Bluesky grows, it must find ways to prevent its platform from being used to spread misinformation and divisive content.
Despite these challenges, Bluesky’s growth remains impressive, and its vision of a decentralized, user-controlled platform has resonated with many users who are disillusioned with the power of tech giants. However, as Bluesky continues to grow, it will need to address the issues of bots, impersonators, and political polarization if it hopes to remain relevant and continue to build on its early success. The platform’s ability to balance these challenges with its commitment to decentralization will ultimately determine its future.
