Social network Bluesky, an alternative to X built on open source technologies, has scored a big win in terms of attracting notable users to its platform. The company on Sunday confirmed that former president Barack Obama has joined its service.
Bluesky OOO Rose Wang replied to a post where someone wondered if the account posting as Obama was legitimately him by writing “Confirmed!”
In his first few posts on the platform, Obama celebrated the 15th anniversary of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), calling it “a reminder that change is possible when we fight for progress.”
The former president maintains a large following on other social media platforms, including X and Facebook, where he has 130.6 million followers and 55 million followers, respectively.
However, Elon Musk’s X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, has lost a number of users to alternative social networks, including Bluesky, after the 2024 U.S. elections. Musk used X to campaign for President Trump and promote MAGA-aligned political views. He also now holds a prominent position in Trump’s circle thanks to his involvement with DOGE (Department of Government Efficiency), which has been working to reduce the federal government workforce, cut spending, and dismantle government agencies.
Not surprisingly, many left-leaning U.S. users no longer want to participate on X. Their exodus from the platform led to a large bump in user growth for Bluesky in late 2024. Today, the new social network has over 33 million users and is continuing to grow.
Other U.S. politicians are already active on Bluesky, including well-known names like Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren, Al Green, Gavin Newsom, and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who became the first person on Bluesky to hit a million followers, as well as many other representatives, senators, and governors.