Early last week, barely anyone had heard of Bluesky. On Wednesday, it was just one of many alternatives vying for attention as users grow increasingly dissatisfied with how the new regime is running Twitter. By Thursday, Bluesky — still in an invite-only beta — had seen an unprecedented jump in number of users, had attracted the (positive) attention of several notable politicians and celebrities, and had gotten a pundit besieged by angry, unblockable posts.
What’s happening on Bluesky isn’t a secret — screencaps of its madcap, exuberant weekend are all over Twitter. But an invite is necessary to really experience the pandemonium. The question What’s it really like over there? is essentially what is driving user growth. From inside these...