If you’ve spent any time on social media lately especially Reddit or even Bluesky itself you’ve probably seen the posts. "Bluesky is dying," "It’s unusable for new users," or "It’s become a left-wing echo chamber"
But despite the doom and gloom, none of these claims hold much water when you actually look at what’s happening on the platform.
Let’s break it down.
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Where Did the "Bluesky Is Dying" Narrative Start?
The recent spike in negativity seems to trace back to a handful of op-eds and social media posts. Most notably, Washington Post columnist Megan McArdle published a piece bemoaning Bluesky’s culture and tone, framing it as an inhospitable echo chamber.
Billionaire Mark Cuban then amplified the article, complaining that Bluesky had become “ruder” and lacked “diversity of thought.” Soon after, similar takes popped up in copycat pieces across tech and political media.
But as many users pointed out, these complaints often boil down to one thing: people on Bluesky aren’t interested in amplifying the same voices or engaging with the same narratives pushed on X.
Engagement vs. Exploitation
Some critics have pointed to Bluesky’s relatively low engagement-per-user compared to platforms like Twitter or Instagram. But is that a bug or a feature?
Social media giants thrive on outrage. Their algorithms reward virality and rage-clicking because it keeps users glued to their screens. Bluesky doesn’t use a centralized engagement algorithm, and it gives users the tools to customize their feed experience.
For example, if you don’t want political discourse, you can just filter it out. Hate seeing crypto hype? Block it. Prefer a chill, art-filled timeline? You can build or follow feeds for exactly that.
In other words: less engagement might mean less exploitation. Bluesky users aren’t being manipulated by algorithms designed to monetize their attention and emotions. That’s a good thing.
Bluesky Isn’t Competing with Twitter - It’s Escaping It
What many critics misunderstand is that Bluesky was never trying to “beat” Twitter. It’s not designed to be a carbon copy. It’s built to be a fundamentally different kind of social web, one that’s open, decentralized, and user-controlled.
That’s why so many artists, journalists, marginalized voices, and fed-up Twitter veterans have embraced Bluesky. They’re not looking for another place to go viral they’re looking for a place to build community without constant harassment or manipulation.
So, Is Bluesky Dying?
No. It’s growing. Slowly, organically, and sometimes awkwardly but growing nonetheless. User counts continue to rise. More developers are building tools around its open protocol. More communities are finding their footing.
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What we’re witnessing isn’t just commentary. It’s a coordinated propaganda narrative and it’s being amplified by creators and media who have a lot to lose if Bluesky succeeds.
The loudest critics often aren’t even regular users of the platform. They’re pundits who couldn’t build a following there or billionaire egos bruised by a lack of praise....
That’s not a sign of failure it’s a sign that Bluesky is working as intended.
Haters gonna hate (cry)
If you log into Bluesky expecting the chaos of Twitter or the viral dopamine hits of TikTok, yeah it might feel “quiet” or “unengaging.” But if you give it time, curate your feeds, follow interesting people, and build your own experience, you’ll find a platform that’s refreshingly human.
Bluesky isn’t dying. It’s just refusing to play by the rules that broke the rest of the internet.
About Borut
BlueskyHunter, created by Borut Udovic, is the essential all-in-one tool designed to help users grow faster on Bluesky with powerful tools.
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