Brazilians flood threads, bluesky after X ban
Following the shutdown of Elon Musk’s X in Brazil, millions of Brazilians, including President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, have turned to new social media platforms like Threads and Bluesky. Since the ban, Portuguese has emerged as the most commonly used language on these networks.
On Saturday, access to X was blocked in Brazil due to a clash between Musk and Supreme Court Judge Alexandre de Moraes, who has been actively targeting misinformation. Musk, known for his stance on free speech, defied multiple court orders, leading to the suspension of X.
Bluesky, a platform launched by Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey, has seen a surge in users, now totaling 7.6 million since X was banned. Concurrently, searches for “Threads” have increased fourfold in Brazil. Threads, developed by Meta, which owns Facebook and Instagram, now has 190 million global users.
Although Threads did not comment on its recent user growth, both Threads and Bluesky have recently topped the download charts in Brazil, according to the Google Play Store.
Leon Leal, a student who switched from X to Threads, expressed that he finds Threads to be a more welcoming community, though he misses the directness that characterized X. With 140 million Instagram users in Brazil, the transition to Threads has been relatively seamless due to the shared login system.
Raul Nunes, a university professor and long-time Twitter user, opted for Bluesky, appreciating its familiarity with Twitter’s language and references, despite missing features like a “Trending Topics” section and video uploads.
Experts suggest that the migration from X may lead users to diversify across various platforms. Raquel Recuero from the Federal University of Pelotas anticipates that displaced X users will likely spread across multiple networks. Viktor Chagas from the Federal University of Fluminense noted that while these platforms offer new avenues for public discourse, their smaller global user bases might create a sense of isolation for Brazilian users.
Some users, like Leal, have struggled to find familiar profiles on Bluesky, and concerns about data privacy have led to skepticism about Threads, given its association with Meta.
Political figures in Brazil are also adapting to the new social media landscape. President Lula has begun posting on Threads and Bluesky, while former President Jair Bolsonaro, a Musk supporter, has yet to join Bluesky and continues to use Threads to promote his Telegram account.
Despite a fine threat from Moraes for circumventing the ban using tools like VPNs, some users persist in accessing X, with Bolsonaro loyalist Nikolas Ferreira proclaiming his dedication to the platform.
