BlueSky is facing technical difficulties following a surge of new users migrating from X, previously known as Twitter, after a recent change to X’s block feature.
Elon Musk, the owner of X, announced modifications to the block button, which previously allowed users to hide their profiles from specific accounts. This change means users can no longer effectively shield their profiles from unwanted interactions.
As a result of this alteration, BlueSky reported over 100,000 new signups within a short period. However, many of these new users are experiencing issues with accessing the platform, leading to numerous complaints on Down Detector.
In a tweet welcoming the newcomers, BlueSky’s official account stated, “welcome to the 100k+ people who have joined Bluesky in the last 12 hours!!!” Despite the excitement, users encountered significant problems with logging in and using the site.
Following the changes on X, BlueSky took the opportunity to emphasize its commitment to user safety by underscoring the effectiveness of its block feature. The platform’s message read, “At Bluesky, we take online safety seriously. If you want to block someone, you can! It’s your experience to customize.”
Musk has argued that the previous behavior of the block button was illogical and has indicated that the feature might eventually be eliminated. Critics, however, contend that such a change could risk the safety of vulnerable users, stating that the block function is essential for individuals, particularly women, to protect themselves from harassment.
One user expressed concern, stating, “One of the biggest functions of blocking is giving women the ability to stop weird men from constantly making them uncomfortable and scared. So of course Elon had to change that.”