A growing number of Canadian Members of Parliament (MPs) and social media users are making the switch from X, formerly Twitter, to Bluesky, following increasing concerns about the platform’s content and potential influence on elections, CBC/Radio-Canada reports.
This shift has accelerated after the US presidential election and amid scrutiny over X’s new direction under owner Elon Musk, with some experts expressing worries about the platform’s impact on the upcoming Canadian federal election.
One prominent figure leading this change is New Democrat MP Charlie Angus, who was an active user of X before deciding to move to Bluesky.
“I have tried three times to get off X because it is a dismal, toxic hole of disinformation,” said Angus, who previously posted regularly to his 47,200 followers.
His frustration with the platform grew after the 2020 US election and Musk’s involvement in undermining democracy. Since switching to Bluesky, Angus has found a more positive experience, gaining over 4,700 followers in a short time.
“It has been a phenomenal experience,” he shared.
Angus noted an improvement in engagement and a reduction in the hate and threats he had previously encountered.
Angus is not alone in this shift. At least 21 MPs, including NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh and Bloc Québécois Leader Yves-François Blanchet, have joined Bluesky, following its surge in popularity in the wake of the US election. The platform, which started as a research project at Twitter before cutting ties with the company after Musk’s acquisition, has now surpassed 22 million accounts and continues to grow rapidly, attracting up to a million new users a day.
In contrast, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who has a massive following of 6.5 million on X, has not yet joined Bluesky but has not ruled it out either. His spokesperson indicated that the Prime Minister’s office is monitoring emerging platforms. Other political figures, such as Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, who has 1.1 million followers on X, have not shown an active presence on Bluesky, although parody accounts exist.
The shift is partly driven by dissatisfaction with X’s handling of misinformation and algorithmic changes that critics say have amplified divisive content. Green Party Leader Elizabeth May, who also expressed frustration with X’s algorithms, said she is seeking a more constructive alternative. May noted that the Green Party has opened an official Bluesky account in response to growing concerns about X’s content manipulation.
Experts in social media, including Philip Mai, co-director of the Social Media Lab at Toronto Metropolitan University, note that the landscape is undergoing significant changes.
“What we’re seeing is a reconfiguration of the social media landscape,” Mai said.
He nointed out that many users are increasingly open to exploring new platforms after growing concerns about X’s direction under Musk. Concerns have been raised about Musk’s influence on political discourse, particularly regarding his visible support for certain political figures and his influence over platform algorithms.
The potential for foreign influence on Canadian elections has also been a topic of concern, with MPs like Alexandra Mendes raising alarms about the role X could play in shaping public opinion.
“We saw what it did in the States and what it can do anywhere,” Mendes said.
She expressed concerns over the platform’s influence and the misinformation it may spread.
However, some worry that the mass exodus of progressive voices from X to Bluesky may risk creating an “echo chamber,” where only certain viewpoints are represented. Conservative MP Michelle Rempel Garner, who opened a Bluesky account recently, criticized the platform’s community, suggesting that it was merely another version of an “echo chamber” that did not live up to its promise of free, open dialogue.
