Barack Obama Joins Bluesky: Former President on the New Social Media Platform

Barack Obama Joins Bluesky Social Network

The Bluesky social network, positioned as an alternative to X and constructed upon open source technologies, has achieved a significant milestone in user acquisition. The company officially announced on Sunday that former U.S. President Barack Obama has established a presence on the platform.

Confirmation from Bluesky Leadership

Rose Wang, Chief Operating Officer of Bluesky, directly affirmed the authenticity of the account attributed to President Obama. She responded to inquiries regarding the account’s legitimacy with a simple, “Confirmed!”

Obama's Initial Posts

In his inaugural posts, Obama commemorated the 15th anniversary of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). He described the ACA as “a reminder that change is possible when we fight for progress.”

The former president continues to maintain substantial followings on established social media sites. He currently has 130.6 million followers on X and 55 million followers on Facebook.

X's User Shift and Bluesky's Growth

Elon Musk’s X, previously known as Twitter, has experienced a decline in users migrating to alternative networks like Bluesky, particularly following the 2024 U.S. elections. Musk leveraged X to support President Trump and disseminate politically aligned viewpoints.

Furthermore, Musk now occupies a key role within Trump’s inner circle, stemming from his involvement with DOGE (Department of Government Efficiency). This initiative focuses on reducing the federal workforce, curtailing expenditures, and restructuring government agencies.

Consequently, a significant number of U.S. users with left-leaning political perspectives have chosen to disengage from X. This departure fueled substantial growth for Bluesky in the latter part of 2024.

Currently, Bluesky boasts a user base exceeding 33 million and continues to expand.

Political Presence on Bluesky

A growing number of U.S. politicians are actively utilizing Bluesky. Notable figures include Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren, Al Green, Gavin Newsom, and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.

Ocasio-Cortez was the first Bluesky user to surpass one million followers. Numerous other representatives, senators, and governors have also joined the network.

This increasing political engagement underscores Bluesky’s rising prominence as a platform for public discourse.