In the days following the U.S. election, Bluesky saw a massive surge of 1 million new users, mainly liberals abandoning Elon Musk’s X in search of a platform more aligned with their values. Despite Musk’s accomplishment in making X a space for free speech, some left-leaning users seem intent on avoiding opposing views and political discourse that doesn’t mirror their own.

Bluesky has positioned itself to be a “safe” space, but all agree that it primarily caters to those who want to avoid open dialogue. Figures like Don Lemon and The Guardian are among those embracing Bluesky, with some stating they left X because they disliked its move to Texas, a conservative-leaning state, and changes to its moderation policies.

The Guardian stopped posting on X, labeling it as a platform for “far-right conspiracy theories,” while Don Lemon declared X could no longer support “honest debate,” even as it allowed the expression of views across the political spectrum. Musk’s move to Texas has been another source of anger for some users, with recent platform updates setting Texas courts as the venue for lawsuits against X.

Liberal users who migrated to Bluesky often reference “hate speech” as a reason for their departure, but critics note the irony: Bluesky now appears to be a bubble for those avoiding perspectives they dislike, rather than engaging in the kind of tolerance and dialogue they claim to support.