Many Users Abandon Twitter for Bluesky Following Recent Changes

On October 19, 2024, users expressed dissatisfaction with a recent change to Twitter's blocking feature, now known as X, which allows blocked users to see posts but prevents them from interacting with them. This modification, presented as a freedom of speech enhancement, has been criticized as facilitating harassment. In response to these changes, many users began migrating to Bluesky, a platform perceived as more conducive to healthy interactions. Following the announcement, Bluesky witnessed a significant surge in user registrations, reaching approximately a million new users shortly after the change. The contrast between Twitter and Bluesky extends to user experience and engagement metrics. A notable difference includes the absence of complicated algorithms on Bluesky, which is claimed to enhance post visibility. As users shift from Twitter to Bluesky, they have reported similar, if not better, interaction rates despite having a significantly smaller follower base on Bluesky. The growing public sentiment against the changes to Twitter's policies has sparked discussions about the state of social media platforms and user satisfaction. Analysts are observing this periodic exodus of users as a critical reflection of how changes can affect engagement and community dynamics on social networks. This ongoing trend emphasizes a need for platforms to prioritize a user-friendly approach to model growth and sustain active participation. In summary, the societal impact of social media platform policies is becoming increasingly apparent, as more users favor platforms they consider to be less hostile and more engaging for meaningful interaction.