In a dramatic turn of events, billionaire Elon Musk's social media platform, X, has been banned nationwide in Brazil, leading its users to find alternative platforms to connect and engage with. The clash between Musk and Brazilian Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes resulted in X's suspension, along with a hefty $9,000 daily fine for those using a virtual private network (VPN) to bypass the ban.

With X gone dark in Brazil, its users are now casting about for new platforms to continue their online presence. Two platforms that have seen a surge in Brazilian users are Threads and Bluesky. Threads, launched by Meta last year, gained popularity due to its seamless integration with Instagram. It currently has 175 million monthly users globally, though specific numbers for Brazilian users have not been disclosed.

Bluesky, on the other hand, is a lesser-known platform that closely resembles the former Twitter and originated from it. It has gained significant traction in Brazil, with 2.6 million new users since X's suspension, 85% of whom are from Brazil. This surge in users has boosted Bluesky's total user count to over 8 million.

The migration of Brazilian users from X to these alternative platforms has sparked a sense of community among the users. Many are sharing tips and "starter packs" of recommended accounts to follow, aiming to build a supportive environment for new and existing users. Some describe Bluesky as reminiscent of the early days of Twitter, with a more peaceful discourse and a sense of involvement from the platform's developers.

The transition to new platforms brings about a sense of déjà vu for Brazilian millennials, who were early adopters of Google's former social network, Orkut, before its shutdown in 2014. They eventually migrated to Facebook en masse. Bluesky's CEO, Jay Graber, sees the influx of Brazilian users as an opportunity to fulfill the platform's mission of allowing users to move between platforms while maintaining connections, similar to switching cell phone carriers without losing contacts.

Bluesky aims to create a "protocol for public conversation" that enables networks to work more like email or phone numbers, allowing users to retain ownership of their social relationships and connections. This stands in contrast to the current landscape, where Big Tech companies have built barriers around their platforms, limiting interoperability and trapping users within their ecosystems.

The impact of X's suspension goes beyond the user base numbers. X served as a gathering place for journalists, politicians, academics, and celebrities in Brazil, influencing news agendas and cultural conversations. While X had 22 million users in Brazil (compared to Instagram's 6 times that number), its significance extended far beyond mere statistics, according to David Nemer, an expert in the anthropology of technology at the University of Virginia.

As Brazilian users navigate this online transition, it remains to be seen whether X will make a comeback and reclaim its position in the social media landscape. In the meantime, Threads and Bluesky are witnessing a surge in popularity, offering users new avenues to connect, engage, and rebuild their digital communities.