Bluesky or Threads: Should Your Business Find an X Alternative?

The Fall of X

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X remains a popular social network, but more and more users are turning away. For example, a study by Similarweb found that more than 115,000 users in the US closed their accounts on November 6th, 2024 – the day after the US election. This was the most account deactivations since Musk took ownership of the site, with users protesting the outcome and X’s involvement.

X delivers a negative experience for many, with bot accounts and harassment present in most corners of the platform. As a result, far-right content and misinformation have spread like wildfire.

X has also rolled out controversial changes to the platform, such as stripping its content moderation teams, showing posts to blocked users, and updating its terms of service to permit AI to learn from your content.

And, with Musk accepting a new role in Trump’s government, I expect we’ll see more users leaving for X alternatives.

Should Your Business Find an Alternative?

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Thankfully, there are plenty of X alternatives out there and a handful have seen a real rise in popularity in recent weeks. Some popular alternatives to check out include:

• Threads first launched in 2019 and surpassed over 275 million monthly active users in November 2024. An offshoot of Instagram, Threads is a convenient switch to make if you’re looking for an alternative to X, especially if your business already has an Instagram account. However, some users have claimed similar moderation issues to X.
• Bluesky announced 15 million users yesterday, gaining the majority of new users after the US presidential election. Originally funded by Twitter, Bluesky is a very similar variant, so I’d recommend considering the platform if you’re looking for the closest match to X. However, the user-created algorithm and anti-toxic values put the user experience at the forefront, unlike X.
• Mastodon scraps algorithms and delivers what you want to see via unique servers. Each server can set its own rules and guidelines, so if you don’t like one, you can join another. It’s not as popular as Threads of Bluesky, and you won’t find as many businesses or celebrities on this network.

It can be scary to leave a platform entirely, especially one as established as Twitter/X. Your business engages with a community there and uses the channel to share news, fresh products, and important updates. If you don’t want to leave X right away, why not try out one of these alternative platforms in tandem with your existing social media channels?

With users actively turning away from X, you might find more engaged readers and followers on sites like Bluesky.

Big Names Leave X

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Many users and businesses have already left X for greener – and, arguably, kinder and more left-leaning – pastures.

• The Guardian announced this week that it will no longer publish posts on X, though it will not prohibit people from sharing its content on the platform. In a statement, the publisher cited the US election as a last straw: “The US presidential election campaign served only to underline what we have considered for a long time: that X is a toxic media platform and that its owner, Elon Musk, has been able to use its influence to shape political discourse.”
• Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez announced her return to Bluesky – while AOC remains on X for the time being as well, she has previously hinted at an X departure.
• Former CNN host Don Lemon leaves X with a final post: “I’ve loved connecting with all of you on X, but it’s time for me to leave the platform. I once believed it was a place for honest debate and discussion, transparency, and free speech, but I now feel it does not serve that purpose.” His farewell letter suggests connecting with him on other platforms, including Bluesky.
• Actress Jamie Lee Curtis has deactivated her X account following the announcement of Musk’s leadership role in the newly created Department of Government Efficiency.

This distrust and distaste for X isn’t new, though. NPR stopped posting on X last year after being branded as “state-affiliated media”, and other companies, such as IBM, NBCUniversal, and Comcast left X following concerns about their ads showing up alongside far-right content.

It’s likely the mass exodus from X will continue as Musk takes a central role in Trump’s new government.