Science social media shift from X to BlueSky continues
As BlueSky gains traction, scientists are increasingly abandoning X (formerly Twitter) for a fresh, focused social media experience.
BlueSky, a decentralised social media platform founded by Twitter’s former CEO Jack Dorsey, has been seeing substantial growth over recent months, particularly among scientists. With many researchers and academics becoming disillusioned by changes to X, BlueSky offers an alternative that has attracted a considerable portion of the scientific community. The platform aims to foster meaningful conversations, a promise that has clearly resonated with researchers looking for an escape from X’s controversial policy changes and diminishing user experience.
The trend gained momentum as many researchers and academics felt that the new monetisation structure, rise in hate speech, and the shifting focus of X were impacting their ability to share and discuss science effectively. Amongst notable accounts on BlueSky are the PSDI-UK (Physical Data Sciences Institute) (@psdi-uk.bsky.social), climate scientist Dr Katharine Hayhoe (@katharinehayhoe.com), and marine biologist Dr Helen Scales (@helenscales.bsky.social). Their shift to the new platform has helped build momentum, bringing followers with them and encouraging broader participation.
An Opportunity for Science Communication
For scientists, the migration to BlueSky isn’t just about escaping a declining platform but is also an opportunity to shape a new community dedicated to science communication. The BlueSky community has been welcoming of new voices and is building connections with a focus on open science and public engagement.
BlueSky has introduced ‘starter packs’ to help new users join and get started easily. These packs provide curated lists of suggested accounts to follow, making it simpler for new members to integrate into the community and immediately engage with content relevant to their interests. For researchers and scientists, these packs have proven effective in building an initial network that facilitates discussion and collaboration.
Balancing New Connections and Uncertainty
For the scientific community in the UK and globally, moving to BlueSky comes with questions about long-term stability. With X still serving as a major source of news and networking, there is hesitancy among some about making the jump entirely. BlueSky’s decentralised approach is promising, but users need assurances that it will be capable of sustaining large-scale communities without the pitfalls of its predecessors.
As the migration continues, scientists on BlueSky are carving out their own digital environment, which has the potential to significantly influence how research is shared, critiqued, and discussed. The shift provides an exciting possibility for scientists to redefine science communication and public engagement, away from the increasingly fragmented audience on X.
You can follow Lab Horizons on BlueSky at our handle @LabHorizons.bsky.social. We’re only just getting started like a lot of scientists but we’re their and you should be to!
