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A chunk of these registered users are apparently "ghost accounts" hosted on a PDS on a trump.com subdomain. https://bsky.app/profile/tyggero.cz/post/3moskpisnu

by ftfish 3mo ago

A chunk of these registered users are apparently "ghost accounts" hosted on a PDS on a trump.com subdomain. https://bsky.app/profile/tyggero.cz/post/3moskpisnuc2t https://bsky.app/profile/tyggero.cz/post/3moskpisnuc2t Source: https://sifa.id/stats https://sifa.id/stats Statement from Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/pfrazee.com/post/3mmp27wwnic2j https://bsky.app/profile/pfrazee.com/post/3mmp27wwnic2j

jacobgold 3mo ago
Based on your comments, it seems like you're trying to spread FUD? The stats page you linked to explains exactly what's going on. These spam PLC identities have nothing to do with with the tens of millions of real Bluesky registered users. Either you misunderstood or you're being intentionally dishonest.
- ftfish 3mo ago
  Never said that, though, plus provided sources. Just adding context for what the total number of users means.
  - jacobgold 3mo ago
    You still seem to be implying the number of real registered users on Bluesky isn't ~50M, which it is. The PLC identity spam you referenced is not being counted in this number.
    - ftfish 3mo ago
      If that's the case, then I stand corrected, but a source for that claim would be helpful.
      - jacobgold 3mo ago
        I was rounding up, the actual number is ~45 million: https://bsky.jazco.dev/stats https://bsky.jazco.dev/stats (these stats are based on real activity, not PLC identities) At current rate it will 50M in 6 months.
        likpok 3mo ago
        Why do you project 10% growth over the next 6 months? Looking at the other metrics on that page which have history (total unique likers, posters, followers), the numbers are flat or declining. That shape doesn’t seem great for a social media company.
    - verdverm 3mo ago
      It is confusing to say "users" when it is actually "accounts", humans tend to associate "user" with another human, where as "account" can cover people and bots (many on atproto) eg. I personally had more than a dozen accounts
      - jacobgold 3mo ago
        That's a fair distinction to make but my (educated) guess is that something like 95% of users have a single account on Bluesky. Most users signed up by downloading the app or visiting the web site and created a single account. As a point of reference, the official Google Play store independently verifies that the Bluesky app has had 10M+ installs. https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=xyz.blueskyweb.app https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=xyz.blueskyweb... There are no official stats on the iOS app or web but those are both likely similar or larger sources of users.
        verdverm 3mo ago
        I would counterpoint that a non-insignificant number of the accounts are spam/bots. Jaz's stats overestimate because it does not remove certain accounts which have been takedown/deleted, let alone those that remain. I have shared analysis of this on HN, Bluesky, and Discord to avoid making educated guesses. The reality is that a significant chunk (>50%) was Blue MAGA, or turned off by them, and I see little prospect that they will reactivate. Outside of the Bluesky echo chamber, there is a deep brand association with Bluesky being primarily political refugees. They see Bluesky as the left-wing Truth Social. I've asked hundreds of people IRL if they have heard of Bluesky, they are far more likely to have this brand association than to have heard of "atproto" (more than half vs 1-2% / can count on one hand).
        jacobgold 3mo ago
        Sure, it may overestimate the exact count, but that doesn't change the fact that tens of millions of real people have downloaded Bluesky and signed up. Right now, Bluesky has one large community, which is already great for some people but not most people. Once Bluesky adds Communities, new communities can form, making it interesting to the other 90% of people who were excited initially and then turned off by it being "one note".

by ftfish 3mo ago

jacobgold 3mo ago

Based on your comments, it seems like you're trying to spread FUD? The stats page you linked to explains exactly what's going on. These spam PLC identities have nothing to do with with the tens of millions of real Bluesky registered users. Either you misunderstood or you're being intentionally dishonest.

ftfish 3mo ago
Never said that, though, plus provided sources. Just adding context for what the total number of users means.
- jacobgold 3mo ago
  You still seem to be implying the number of real registered users on Bluesky isn't ~50M, which it is. The PLC identity spam you referenced is not being counted in this number.
  - ftfish 3mo ago
    If that's the case, then I stand corrected, but a source for that claim would be helpful.
    - jacobgold 3mo ago
      I was rounding up, the actual number is ~45 million: https://bsky.jazco.dev/stats https://bsky.jazco.dev/stats (these stats are based on real activity, not PLC identities) At current rate it will 50M in 6 months.
      - likpok 3mo ago
        Why do you project 10% growth over the next 6 months? Looking at the other metrics on that page which have history (total unique likers, posters, followers), the numbers are flat or declining. That shape doesn’t seem great for a social media company.
  - verdverm 3mo ago
    It is confusing to say "users" when it is actually "accounts", humans tend to associate "user" with another human, where as "account" can cover people and bots (many on atproto) eg. I personally had more than a dozen accounts
    - jacobgold 3mo ago
      That's a fair distinction to make but my (educated) guess is that something like 95% of users have a single account on Bluesky. Most users signed up by downloading the app or visiting the web site and created a single account. As a point of reference, the official Google Play store independently verifies that the Bluesky app has had 10M+ installs. https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=xyz.blueskyweb.app https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=xyz.blueskyweb... There are no official stats on the iOS app or web but those are both likely similar or larger sources of users.
      - verdverm 3mo ago
        I would counterpoint that a non-insignificant number of the accounts are spam/bots. Jaz's stats overestimate because it does not remove certain accounts which have been takedown/deleted, let alone those that remain. I have shared analysis of this on HN, Bluesky, and Discord to avoid making educated guesses. The reality is that a significant chunk (>50%) was Blue MAGA, or turned off by them, and I see little prospect that they will reactivate. Outside of the Bluesky echo chamber, there is a deep brand association with Bluesky being primarily political refugees. They see Bluesky as the left-wing Truth Social. I've asked hundreds of people IRL if they have heard of Bluesky, they are far more likely to have this brand association than to have heard of "atproto" (more than half vs 1-2% / can count on one hand).
        jacobgold 3mo ago
        Sure, it may overestimate the exact count, but that doesn't change the fact that tens of millions of real people have downloaded Bluesky and signed up. Right now, Bluesky has one large community, which is already great for some people but not most people. Once Bluesky adds Communities, new communities can form, making it interesting to the other 90% of people who were excited initially and then turned off by it being "one note".