Bluesky: Where Do the Users Stand?

Bluesky is a new social media platform that's like Twitter but with a twist. It's decentralized, which means it's not controlled by one big company. This makes it special because users have more control over their data. The platform has been around since February 2023 and has grown to include five million users. Imagine a big party where everyone is connected in some way. That's what Bluesky's network looks like. It's full of interactions like replies, likes, reposts, and follows. These interactions show that Bluesky has a lot in common with bigger social networks. For example, it has heavy-tailed distributions, high clustering, and short connection paths. This means that a few users are very popular, and most users are connected to each other in a few steps. Bluesky has a unique feature called feeds. These are like personalized news channels created by and for users. However, even though many feeds have been made, not many users are actually using them. This is interesting because it shows that users might not be as interested in customizing their content as much as we thought. When it comes to the news sources shared on Bluesky, there doesn't seem to be much polarization. Most users share left-center news sources, and there aren't many questionable sources. This is a good sign because it shows that Bluesky users are generally sharing reliable information. However, when it comes to specific issues like the Israel-Palestine conflict, there are clear divisions. Users tend to cluster into two groups: those who support Palestine and those who support Israel. The number of pro-Palestinian voices has been growing. This shows that even though users might share similar news sources, they can still have very different opinions on specific issues. Bluesky is a great opportunity for researchers. It's similar to other social media sites in terms of network structure, but it's also unique because it's decentralized. This means that researchers can study it in new and interesting ways. They can look at how users interact, how information spreads, and how opinions form. This could help us understand social media better and maybe even make it a better place. However, it's important to remember that Bluesky is still new. It will be interesting to see how it changes and grows over time. Will more users start using the feeds? Will the political landscape change? Only time will tell.