Twitter Co-Founder Jack Dorsey Comments on User Exodus from Twitter to BlueSky
Former Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey has shared his thoughts on the migration of users from Twitter to BlueSky. He believes that people are leaving Twitter not because they are attracted to something specific on BlueSky, but rather because they are dissatisfied with Twitter.
Dorsey suggests that this is not an effective strategy for building a successful platform. Instead, platforms should focus on attracting users who are seeking unique and valuable experiences that are not available elsewhere.
BlueSky was created as an internal project within Twitter but was later spun off as an independent entity. Dorsey resigned from both Twitter's CEO position and board of directors in 2021.
Dorsey praises BlueSky's focus on algorithmic choice, but acknowledges that this is not currently a primary concern for users who are primarily motivated by their dissatisfaction with Twitter.
Following Elon Musk's acquisition of Twitter in 2022, the platform has undergone significant changes, including a name change to "X." Musk has also laid off a large portion of the staff, re-instated banned users, and introduced paid verification.
Bluesky experienced a surge in user sign-ups in November 2022 when many users left X following the election of President Trump. BlueSky officially launched in February 2024 with approximately 3 million users and has grown to 25.9 million by the end of the year.
Despite resigning from BlueSky's board of directors, Dorsey has criticized the company for repeating past mistakes made by Twitter. BlueSky CEO Jay Graber emphasizes the platform's "billionaire-proof" design, where users can easily migrate their data without starting over.
Graber also highlights BlueSky's focus on open-source development and its commitment to prohibiting algorithmically recommended advertising. The platform's roadmap includes plans to enhance custom feeds and empower users to control their content experience.