Social media platform Bluesky has experienced a significant surge in new users, gaining more than 700,000 members in the week following the US presidential election, as people seek alternatives to X, formerly known as Twitter.

The influx of users, predominantly from North America and the UK, has helped Bluesky reach 14.5 million users worldwide, marking substantial growth from its 9 million users in September, according to the company.

"We're excited to welcome all of these new people, ranging from Swifties to wrestlers to city planners," Bluesky spokesperson Emily Liu said.

The platform, which began as a project within Twitter but became independent in 2022, has seen previous surges in membership, including 3 million new users when X was suspended in Brazil and 1.2 million following X's controversial decision to allow users to view posts from people who had blocked them.

The migration comes as users express growing concerns about misinformation and offensive content on X, which has seen its usage in the US decline by more than a fifth since rebranding from Twitter. Many users have cited X owner Elon Musk's support of president-elect Donald Trump as a factor in their decision to switch platforms.

Despite the growth, Bluesky remains second to Meta's Threads in the social networking category on Apple's US App Store. Threads reported 275 million monthly active users in November, up from 200 million in August.

Bluesky has recently added features including direct messaging and video compatibility to more closely resemble X and distinguish itself from its Meta-owned competitor. The platform also offers unique features such as "starter packs"— curated groups of accounts sharing similar expertise and interests— to help new users build their networks.

The independent platform, now primarily owned by chief executive Jay Graber, continues to attract users seeking an alternative social media experience, with many citing its more effective system for blocking problematic accounts and policing harmful behaviour as key advantages over X.

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