Bluesky, the social media platform that emerged from Twitter in 2019, is experiencing disruption in its services as users desert Twitter and flock to alternative platforms. In response to the sudden surge in new users, Bluesky has temporarily halted new registrations to address performance issues.
The chaos at Twitter is not limited to its own platform but is also impacting other social media platforms. Elon Musk’s recent announcement of a ‘view limit’ on the number of posts Twitter users can view in a day has triggered a wave of users migrating to other platforms. Bluesky, still in its early stages and currently operating on an invite-only basis, has struggled to handle the influx of new users.
Bluesky announced that it would temporarily pause sign-ups while its team works on resolving the performance issues. The platform aims to resume functionality for invite codes in the near future. The notice about the performance issue was issued by Bluesky, followed by an announcement of “record-high traffic” affecting the platform.
To mitigate the strain on its servers, Bluesky engineers have been updating the mobile apps for Android and iOS. These updates aim to reduce the load and ensure smoother performance for users.
Elon Musk’s recent changes on Twitter, including blocking browsing access for users not logged in and implementing a temporary ‘view limit,’ have contributed to the exodus of users from the platform. Previously, there were no restrictions on the amount of content users could view, but now factors such as account verification status and new user status determine the daily content limit. Verified accounts can view up to 6,000 posts, unverified accounts up to 600 posts, and new unverified accounts up to 300 posts per day.
Musk attributed the need for these changes to data scraping by AI startups for training large language models like ChatGPT. The unauthorized collection of data by these startups was negatively impacting the experience for regular users, leading to Twitter’s decision to block browsing access.
Notably, other platforms like Mastodon have also witnessed a significant surge in users. According to reports, Mastodon gained over 26,000 new accounts in a single day, further reflecting the ongoing shift in user preferences.
As social media users seek alternatives and explore new platforms, the disruption faced by Bluesky underscores the evolving dynamics of the industry. The challenges associated with managing increased traffic and ensuring optimal performance will be crucial factors for these platforms as they strive to cater to the changing needs and expectations of users.
