Bluesky, the rising social media platform known for its friendlier atmosphere compared to X (formerly Twitter), experienced a significant outage on Thursday, coinciding with a rapid influx of new users. This surge in popularity has positioned Bluesky as one of the most downloaded applications on both the US and UK Apple Stores in recent days, particularly following the recent US election, which has prompted many users to leave X in search of a less controversial environment.

On Thursday, reports emerged from various parts of the world detailing difficulties with loading feeds and notifications on Bluesky. Emily Liu, a spokesperson for the platform, confirmed the situation to the BBC, clarifying that the outage stemmed from issues with one of their internet providers, specifically due to a fiber cable malfunction. Liu emphasized that this was outside of Bluesky's direct control.

The outage was attributed to connectivity problems faced by clients utilizing a section of the network between Raleigh and Durham, North Carolina, and Richmond, Virginia, as stated in a status notice from Cogent Communications, the affected provider. While not every user experienced the outage, it was largely addressed by late Thursday, allowing users to resume their activities.

Since Donald Trump’s election victory, Bluesky has seen an extraordinary growth spurt, with approximately 2.25 million users registering to the platform. Founded by Jack Dorsey, one of Twitter's co-founders, Bluesky differentiates itself by being a decentralized platform that operates on independent servers rather than corporate-controlled ones.

The recent influx of users can be traced back to growing discontent with X, particularly under Elon Musk's ownership, leading to many users seeking alternatives like Bluesky and Threads, Meta’s rival app. Cory Johnson, Chief Market Strategist at Epistrophy Capital Research, noted that many users have turned to these newer platforms out of both disdain and concern over Musk's influence on political dialogue.

Adding to this shift, the British news outlet the Guardian made headlines this week by announcing its decision to cease posting on X, citing concerns regarding Musk's ability to manipulate political discourse.

Amid Thursday's technical difficulties, Bluesky’s staff attempted to tackle the outage with humor; one developer quipped about the situation, recommending users take a moment to relax with a soda and their pets while the team worked to restore service.

As Bluesky continues to grow, its capacity to handle such traffic will increasingly be put to the test. Will it be able to handle the demands of its burgeoning user base, or will such outages become a common issue? Stay tuned as this story develops!