Bluesky has become a safe space for liberals seeking to avoid the triggering presence of opposing views since the Trump reelection. The relatively small site now has over 30 million followers (in comparison 260 million for X and 3 billion on Facebook). Now, however, users like billionaire Mark Cuban are complaining that Bluesky is just another intolerant echo chamber on the left and some are reportedly returning to X.
Billionaire Mark Cuban was one of the early champions of the site, writing “Hello Less Hateful World” in joining the site in November 2024.
At the time, some of us criticized the premise of the Bluesky devotees. Many supported the anti-free speech and censorship efforts during the Biden Administration. Bluesky offered a replication of the echo chamber in higher education, where liberals can go unchallenged or uncontradicted. This included some of the most intolerant figures in media, academia, and the government.
Now, Cuban and others are experiencing what many of us have lived through in higher education for years, an orthodox environment where even marginal disagreements are treated as litmus tests.
Cuban this week decried that “Even if you agree with 95% of what a person is saying on a topic, if there is one point that you might call out as being more of a gray area, they will call you a fascist etc.”
In his post on Monday, Cuban notes that “the replies on here may not be as racist as Twitter, but they damn sure are hateful. Talk AI: FU, AI sucks go away. Talk Business: Go away. Talk Healthcare: Crickets.”
“Because the Musk and Trump haters are the largest and most passionate group, the result is something of an echo chamber where it’s hard to get positive engagement unless you’re saying things progressives want to hear — and where the negative engagement on things they don’t want to hear can be intense.”
The problem is that many users went to Bluesky because they did not want to be challenged in a free-speech environment. It is a site for those who do not wish to be “triggered” by opposing views. If you only watch MSNBC and post on Bluesky, you can live within a hermetically sealed liberal space without the fear of contradiction or opposition.
Ultimately, 30 million users are not a significant threat to social media companies like X or Facebook. The hope that Bluesky would drain X of revenue has not materialized. Analysts are reporting that X appears to be rebounding after years of boycotts and ad revenue could grow by 17.5% to $1.31 billion, with global ad sales expected to rise by 16.5% to $2.26 billion.
Bluesky will still be able to capitalize off the draw as a safe space draw for the left with uniformly favorable media coverage. It also offers a concentrated membership of liberal users for Democratic politicians and pundits. However, it does little in terms of impact outside of that space.
That is the reason why most liberal politicians and pundits are still actively posting on X. Some belong to both — engaging a broader audience on issues on X while retreating to the safe space of Bluesky for reaffirmation.
However, it is harmful to the left in further insulating themselves from reality. Take a typical user like a Harvard professor who watches MSNBC and reads the New York Times. She then goes to work at a university with a faculty that has less than three percent of conservatives or Republicans and less than ten percent conservative or Republican students. She then goes to Bluesky to converse within a liberal ecosystem on social media. It is a virtual bio-containment tent that filters out any discordant elements.
The reason that many on the left were shocked by the election results is that they lived within these protected spaces. They have removed themselves further from the majority of this country, disengaging with anyone who objects to their priorities and values. Within that echo chamber, opposing views become more intolerable and shocking.
Bluesky will continue to be a draw for free-speech-phobic and viewpoint-intolerant users. Fortunately, most people want to be part of a larger discourse and engage with the world around them, despite the presence of trolls and hateful commentators.
Cuban’s call for greater diversity of thought on Bluesky is unlikely to alter the culture of a site that is maintained as a safe space for liberals. That cloistered environment only increases sensitivity and intolerance for opposing views. It is akin to developing an immune deficiency from a lack of exposure to certain elements.
If Cuban and others want robust debate, they will not find it in digital safe spaces like Bluesky.
Speaking of free speech on the open Blog, -and what the courts will consider not just hateful, but inciteful,- I clicked on actual “images” for ICE protesters that are clearly walking a dangerous tightrope in stoking “hateful” rhetoric:
“ICE Agents are Terrorists!”
“REVOLUTION!”
“ICE is EVIL!”
“BY ANY MEANS NECESSARY!”
“JOIN THE FIGHT!
“Demolish the Border!”
“ICE Out of Our Country!”
“The Real Criminal is in the White House!”
“I Prefer CRUSHED ICE!”
“BURN a Tesla-Save Democracy!”
“Deport ICE!”
“F—- Your Border!”
“No One is Illegal on STOLEN LAND!”
“Shoot Down ICE!”
Let’s invite them over for some lemonade to cool off a little…….
(p.s. the “images” page showed other protests, and I burst out laughing at the PRIDE one:
“If God hates gays, why are we so cute?”)
“(p.s. the “images” page showed other protests, and I burst out laughing at the PRIDE one:
“If God hates gays, why are we so cute?”)”
I think an appropriate question is why are you so triggered by gay people?
It’s ok, being gay does not make you a bad person. You should talk to your therapist. Embrace the fact you are gay, quit deflecting and stop the hate, you will feel much better.
P..P.S.
(1) I’m not gay.
(2) I was laughing at the cleverness and humor of the gay poster.
(3) would you like some lemonade??
Lin,
I thought the “If God hates gays, why are we so cute?” was rather clever myself.
However, while sitting at a red traffic light, I saw a . . . person . . . wearing a rainbow colored skirt, mismatched socks, partially shaved head, the rest of the hair a light purple color, grossly obese in a tie-dye T-shirt a size too small, “cute” is not the word I would use.
The number 1 killer globally is cardiovascular disease which is manifested in fatal outcomes like heart attacks and strokes
Morbidly obese California
DemocratMarxist US Senator Alex Padilla yesterday went into a violent rage steps away DHS Secretary Kristi Noem, a Cabinet Member of the US President, and a large audience, as he crashed the DHS conference. So threatening was he that he had to be escorted out of the conference room because he was literally assaulting, pushing, kicking federal law enforcement officers to get to Secretary Noem. Outside in a hallway he was taken to the ground by LEO as he let out a whimper like a beached whale. It was a stunning and emasculating theatrical performance. It was reminiscent of George Floyd sans knee to neck, but drug induced all the same (dopamine, adrenaline, cortisone driven rage).Not missing his 15 mins of fame, heterosexual US Sen. Michael Bennet (D-CO) blows up repeatedly, cuts off, raises his voice sanctimoniously against homosexual Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent. It appeared that Democrat Senator Bennet queened out in front of a billionaire gay man. It was yet another example of Democrats thinking they had an opportunity to come across as alpha leaders to their base but looked more like feral dogs stricken with rabies.
Democrats / MSM on and off BlueCry are going to die just like George Floyd, from a self-induced fatal cardiac event because of their over the top lies, denialism, victim posturing, disordered lives and, dare one say, toxic masculinity. Yet in the case with Senator Bennet, it was the gay man, Secretary Bessent, who showed himself to be the true gentleman by acting composed, restrained and self-confident.
Welcome to the Summer of Love™
Secretary Bessent: Well sir we had a referendum on November 5th …..Uh your side lost… and a higher decibel… a higher decibel level does not give your statements more veracity
🔥
Estovir,
That is the stark difference between Democrats and the Trump admin. The Democrats have to resort to rage induced TDS hysteria, while the Trump admin conducts themselves in a orderly and professional manner to the extent they can before deranged Democrats.
“while the Trump admin conducts themselves in a orderly and professional manner”
Hahahahaha
HAhaha
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHa
trump called Gavin Newsom Newscum. That is professional?
You have got to be kidding me.
Gavin told the story about the last time he was called that. He was in 8th grade. trump using an 8th grade slur is not “professional” it is juvenile.
The speaker of the House, Mike Johnson said Gavin Newsom should be tarred and feathered. That is professional?
If “republicans” are so professional, why do they use juvenile slurs and disgusting statements so much?
Baby
Newscum.
But you morons use Hitler.
Jezzzzzzzzzzzzz.
Trump does say a lot of 8th-grade things.
The only reason they don’t usually roll off so easily is that they are true.
Biden does say a lot of 8th-grade things.
Fixed it for yea.
9 out of 10 LAPD officers agree with Trump’s use of the word Newscum.
*. To be fair it’s quite possible the emotional outbursts by the dems is because the repubs actually cause their outrage. Sec. Bessent is passive aggressive? Some doc will know. It’s just less noise.
Estovir: I like Scott Bessent. Very professional, unlike some of the lawyers on this blog.
p.s. looking at the YouTube photo above, did someone already knock out some of Sen. Michael Bennet’s lower teeth after he “[blew] up repeatedly, cut off, raise[d] his voice sanctimoniously,” etc.?
I love Fridays. Hope your days and your hip are getting stronger.
*. The worst part in the video is Bennett just repeated the hackneyed phrase tax cuts to the rich. It’s a trigger phrase embedded in radical dem minds. Repeat phrases and protest, repeat, protest__^____^___________
flat lined, docs.
Guess we know who the 16-19% are. 🤷🏽♂️ at some point a sane person has to wonder when people will stop having these temper tantrums that amount to lighting their money on fire. Imagine if they used that energy for something positive, productive, or useful.
Yes. Bubble is right. That is what was described in the book 1984. And then they are so shocked when reality comes crashing in. I almost feel sorry for them, but it is a self-imposed bubble they live in.
The concluding statement is so spotted. “It is akin to developing an immune deficiency from a lack of exposure to certain elements.” Dr Jay B. from NIH agrees with you.
What people seem to forget is the American Town Square (literally or figuratively) has always been a messy jumble of voices. We have lost our critical thinking skills that allow us to sort through the noise and come to reasoned conclusions. But, we must allow all those voices to be in the square. If we don’t we risk loosing the public forum and will only have one voice. This is one of the most dangerous things happening in our society today.
BS, the town square is now X and Bluesky – no one is in peril of losing their right to speak, it’s just that the prog spoiled brats can’t bring their molotov cocktails and rocks to a blog so they whine.
Worth repeating…
“Now, however, users like billionaire Mark Cuban are complaining that Bluesky is just another intolerant echo chamber on the left and some are reportedly returning to X.”
Can you imagine it’s getting to the point that they can’t accept their own point of views.
The Bee is reporting that the rioting in LA is indeed mostly peaceful: 51% of the cars in that fair city – a clear majority – are not on fire.
People motivated by feelings–in spite of facts–are far more dangerous and unpredictable than those who are motivated by feelings constrained by facts.
Are you talking about RFK Jr?
+100
No that would be the leaders of the DNC.
Right Hogg
Bluesky has become a safe space for liberals seeking to avoid the triggering presence of opposing views
Bluesky has become a safe space for those of my fellow Democrats seeking to avoid the triggering presence of opposing views
Fixed that for you professor Turley. They avoid the “triggering presence” of opposing views. You don’t do that – you just avoid using the more accurate word ‘Democrats’ whenever possible. Wouldn’t want those gatherings of the Washington DC Bar Association with your fellow members Merrick Garland, James Comey, etc to get too icy.
So I take it, Bluesky kicked David Hogg off their site.
sigh
Professor Turley offers some bon mots:
“Bluesky offered a replication of the echo chamber in higher education.” YEP!! So does every media platform.
“While retreating to the safe space of Bluesky for reaffirmation.” Exclusively for snowflakes like Stuart Smalley.
What liberals lately refuse to understand is that free speech is a release valve. If you don’t let people vent, sooner or later, they get violent… unless they’re liberals. They have all these backup systems like media, academia, and Bluesky to rage on, but then they riot and loot anyway. It’s a conundrum.
I see liberal thought (if you could call it that) as more of a brain constipation. Full of sh*t and no where to spew it except on a few liberal sites like bluesky, msnbc, and the View. They are desparate to spread the progressive utopia but no one really wants to hear it.
Incisive criticism. Let me guess…, you’re on your fifth draft? Lol
don’t drink, just read and sip coffee. How about you? Just finishing your vegan breakfast of grass clippings and turnip juice?
If that was a put-down. You failed.
Love it. You’re talking about echo chambers. How cute.
And just what are you doing in this echo chamber?
The trolls from Bluesky are on here early today proving Professor Turley right, that it’s a worthless place to all but the TDS addled.
Ha! An idiot that believes trump isn’t far worse than he appeared. ^^
You mean Biden. Right!
Maybe Bluesky will end up being known as Ruesky.
…or maybe Kaputsky
HA! or maybe BLEWsky, better yet Tooleloosky!
toodeloo
😂. Poohsky.
Honors student^^
Blue skies are polluted environments, and first-order forcings of catastrophic anthropogenic global warming.
Hows that Condo working out on the beaches of Florida?
For most. No big deal…
Turls: you’re still hated for selling out completely and working for fox as they spew Russian disinformation and it’s an honor to have been so regularly censored on your blog here, you raging hypocrite.
Russian disinformation? Really? I think the dossier sort of sunk that sub. You should probably move on to things in the real world.
I would wager, if such demographics were available, that the majority of those on Bluesky are either vegans and/or gamers.
Pajama boys living in their parent’s basement.
In Colorado they are called “Bros.”
Bluesky is simply MSNBC and the View on a blog. Who really expected more? A hive of delusional, hateful, immature narcissists and spoiled brats – what could go wrong?
And just what did Cuban expect. We see how they are in person on the streets of LA- they have got to be 1,000 times more toxic behind those keyboards.
https://www.alternet.org/trump-doesnt-like-fat-people-the-narcissistic-projection-behind-trumps-bad-governance/
Here is one paragraph from the above link…
“Trump is a crook (a convicted felon, in fact), so he calls other people crooks,” Noah writes. “He’s a liar (The Washington Post counted more than 30,000 whoppers during his first term alone), so he calls other people liars (even a Gold Star widow!). He’s an ignoramus so he calls other people stupid. Trump’s obsession with other people’s weight is another manifestation: He’s an overweight man who calls other people (less politely) overweight.
The military has,physical fitness requirements, which they are ratcheting up.
Does that surprise anyone?
https://www.goarmy.com/how-to-join/requirements/fitness
Serious question, what is your point?
His point backfired. He must be talking about Gigi-Natasha, who calls Trump a liar and “fat pig” everyday.
Did you even read this?
Talk about projection and opinion based.