Swifties, wrestlers, urban planners: who are these X users who are leaving the platform since the election of Donald Trump ?

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Donald Trump's presidency seems to benefit unexpected actors. More than a million new users have joined Bluesky since the election. X, the social network of his friend and supporter Elon Musk, is experiencing an unprecedented leak.

Bluesky spokesperson Emily Lin highlights the surprising diversity of newcomers. From the “swifties” to Taylor Swift's loyal community – from wrestling fans to urban planners, the platform attracts a variety of profiles united by a common desire: to find a healthier social experience.

This growth has propelled Bluesky from 9 million to 15 million users, although it remains far behind Threads (the Meta version of X) and its 275 million monthly active users.

Escape the toxicity of X

Social media researcher Alex Bruns explains to The Guardian this appeal by the absence of three toxic elements: far-right activism, disinformation, and hate speech. The social network, born from an internal Twitter project that became independent when it was bought by Elon Musk, offers, according to him, an alternative that recalls “the original Twitter experience”.

The user flight is accompanied by departures from major media outlets and institutions. The Guardian, a leading British daily, left the platform, denouncing its growing toxicity. In its wake, German football club St Pauli also closed its account, calling X a’“hate amplifier”. Le lendemain, le média espagnol La Vanguardia annonçait aussi son départ de X.

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Dans The Guardian, l’historienne Ruth Ben-Ghiat, de l’université de New York, alerte sur les risques à venir. “After January, when X could be detained by a de facto member of the Trump administration, his functions as a Trump propaganda organ and far-right radicalization machine could be accelerated.” she explains.

The numbers bear witness to this disaffection: 3 million users joined Bluesky when X was suspended in Brazil in September, followed by 1.2 million new members after the controversial announcement allowing users to see the messages of blocked people.

Bluesky's growth illustrates a broader phenomenon: the quest for digital spaces protected from populist excesses and disinformation. This migration could foreshadow a profound recomposition of the social media landscape, where the quality exchanges would take precedence over the virality of the content. What ? We can always dream.

• Bluesky has attracted over a million new users since Trump's election, including diverse communities fleeing X
• Lack of misinformation and hate speech explains platform's growing appeal
• Major players like The Guardian are leaving X, illustrating a deep crisis of trust in Elon Musk's social network

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