Bluesky’s active user base is shrinking as its focus expands beyond the app: 10.4 million monthly active users worldwide in June 2026, down 27.2% year-over-year.

The brutal truth of social networks: people don’t stay for protocols, decentralization, or good intentions. They stay because everyone else is there. Building better infrastructure is impressive. Building a habit people refuse to leave is harder.

Everyone I know who’s tried it tells me that big corporate brands and their slop / astroturfed content is why Bluesky is less enjoyable. Haven’t myself, as I’m perfectly content on Mastodon and Lemmy, so I understand that’s anecdotal.

bsky is just another VC-funded corpo platform. The initial wave of Libs who moved over gave it some gas, but ultimately, it’s just another toxic, bland platform like all the others.

Mastodon is the same, its a cesspit. Its the microblogging format that attracts the worst people and fosters the worst interactions.