were swifties The canary in the coal mine. Last week, as a result of US presidential election created a stir on the internet, Taylor Swift fan took a standIn droves they left the blue skyWhere, as a swifty told WIREDThey can create a new community and “not support Elon.” [Musk] Either way.” They were not alone.
A lot has happened since this week donald trump Defeated Vice President Kamala Harris For the post of American President. For those who spend a lot of time online, one thing stood out in particular: Trump's relationship with X boss Musk, who took advantage of his platform to support the president-elect's campaign. on tuesday, Trump took Musk's name One of the heads of the new, not-yet-existent Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). The same day, Bluesky announced that it had profited from 1 million new users in a week. on thursday, the company said It gained another million in 24 hours.
Keep in mind, not all of the new immigrants to BlueSky are Swift fans, but they do represent a certain subgroup of Internet culture: people who were unhappy with Musk's relationship with Trump and the way he ran his ex. Eventually gave up and decided to move Their social media is live. Since its rollout in 2023, Bluesky has been one of a kind “loose, slap happy” place, but in the last two months, like Slate reported this weekIt has become a better platform for sharing news and staying connected to live events, becoming a lifeboat for “left-leaning Twitter refugees”.
While the Americans swore they would move to canada If their candidate does not win (as if such a move could be easily achieved), now they simply camp on a new platform. No need to break your lease or sell your house, just post “Follow me on BlueSky” with your new handle. If you don't like your new neighbor, that's a good thing. Bluesky offers something most people call a “nuclear block,” which lets users ensure they don't hear from anyone they don't want to talk to or interact with.
The Internet has always prided itself on being at least somewhat borderless. Firewalls, language barriers, and other barriers exist, but the Web still helps information and stories get from one place to another much faster than anyone can get there. No visa required.
Still, that distinction has always been a little unearned. There are gatekeepers, trolls, scoundrels. Musk wanted Twitter to be a town square, but to get there you'd still need an Internet-connected device — and you'd have to be prepared to avoid humiliation once you did. Even online, NIMBYs want to have their say. Who gets to call themselves a “local” on any given platform is often decided by the rules of the crowd. You can go to BlueSky, the Canada of the Internet, but be careful what you bring.