Bluesky’s Meteoric Rise: A Haven from X and Threads, but Besieged by Bots
In the tumultuous landscape of social media, a new contender has emerged, riding a wave of user dissatisfaction with established giants like X (formerly Twitter) and Meta’s Threads. Bluesky, born from the very company that birthed Twitter, has seen its user base more than double since October, surpassing 25 million users according to Similarweb. This surge is largely attributed to users seeking refuge from perceived political bias on X under Elon Musk’s leadership and the search for a viable alternative to Threads. The platform’s decentralized approach, promising greater user control, has resonated with those disillusioned by the centralized power of major corporations. The temporary ban of X in Brazil further fueled Bluesky’s ascent, propelling it into the spotlight as a potential rival to the established social media hierarchy.
However, this rapid growth has come at a cost. The influx of new users has attracted a darker element: bots. These automated accounts, designed to sow discord and disseminate misinformation, have infiltrated the platform, exploiting its burgeoning popularity. Experts like Laura Edelson, an assistant professor of computer science at Northeastern University, point to Bluesky’s newfound prominence as the catalyst for this bot invasion. As the platform gains traction, it becomes an increasingly enticing target for those seeking to manipulate online discourse and spread misleading information. This challenge underscores the delicate balance between fostering a vibrant online community and safeguarding it from malicious actors.
Bluesky’s journey began as an invitation-only platform, affording the developers time to build moderation tools. The platform opened to the public in February, introducing features like "starter packs" to curate user experiences, a concept later adopted by Meta. Despite these efforts, the small team at Bluesky has struggled to keep pace with the onslaught of bots. Claire Wardle from Cornell University highlights the inherent vulnerability of popular online spaces, stating that the presence of a large audience inevitably attracts those seeking to exploit it for nefarious purposes. The challenge for Bluesky lies in effectively managing this influx of malicious bots while preserving the platform’s core values of user control and open communication.
The bot problem manifests in various forms, from automated replies designed to amplify divisive narratives to the creation of fake accounts impersonating prominent users. Lion Cassens, a Bluesky user in the Netherlands, encountered networks of German-language bots posting automated responses, raising concerns about the long-term impact of such manipulation. The issue of impersonation has also plagued the platform, with Alexios Mantzarlis, director of the Security, Trust, and Safety Initiative at Cornell Tech, revealing that nearly half of the top 100 most followed accounts had duplicate impersonator accounts. Bluesky has taken action by removing many of these fake accounts, but the ongoing struggle highlights the persistent challenge of maintaining authenticity and trust in a decentralized environment.
Recognizing the urgency of the situation, Bluesky has quadrupled its moderation team and implemented new systems to detect and address impersonation. The platform has also embraced third-party "Labelers" to assist in identifying and tagging misleading content. These efforts represent a significant step towards combating the proliferation of bots and disinformation, demonstrating the company’s commitment to creating a safer and more trustworthy online environment. However, the ongoing challenge lies in staying ahead of the evolving tactics employed by those seeking to exploit the platform.
Despite these proactive measures, Bluesky faces a confluence of challenges that extend beyond bot mitigation. As a primarily text-based platform, it struggles to capture the attention of younger demographics increasingly drawn to visually-driven platforms like TikTok and Instagram. Furthermore, the pervasive issue of political polarization threatens to limit the platform’s growth potential, hindering its ability to achieve the scale of major competitors. Edward Perez, a board member at the OSET Institute, aptly describes Bluesky as being “at a crossroads,” emphasizing the need for the platform to prioritize addressing these threats if it hopes to sustain its rapid growth and carve a lasting place in the competitive social media landscape. Bluesky’s future hinges not only on its ability to combat disinformation and manage the influx of bots but also on its capacity to adapt to the ever-evolving dynamics of social media usage and attract a broader user base.