Key takeaways
- Musk’s support for Trump and the rise in hate speech caused Swifties to leave X for Bluesky.
- Citing false information about AI, Taylor Swift supported Kamala Harris.
- Following Trump’s victory, poisonous content and misinformation increased on X, which was made worse by the new “block” tool.
Fans of Taylor Swift started switching from X to Bluesky after the US election, pointing to Musk’s backing of Trump and the rise in hate speech on the platform.
In the most recent election, Elon Musk, the CEO of X, supported Donald Trump by giving more than $100 million to the pro-Trump AmericaPAC, endorsing his campaign, and strengthening his rhetoric on X. Within 48 hours of Trump’s victory, Swifties, who had built a thriving community on the site, started to depart.
Following Kamala Harris’ nomination, Swifties united despite their differing political philosophies. Taylor Swift supported Harris for the 2024 race in September, citing worries about the dissemination of false information and AI-generated visuals that incorrectly connected her to Trump’s campaign. Swift commended Harris for her dedication to causes like reproductive rights and underlined the need for transparency.
According to Bluesky user Justin, Swifties received a deluge of direct messages from Trump supporters boasting about their victory, including threats of sexual assault and rape, after the election, according to Wired. Irene Kim, a Swifties for Kamala organizer, claimed that she and many other Swift fans left X for Bluesky because of the surge of misogyny that followed the election.
Disinformation and hate speech increased after Musk took charge, and the issue was made worse by Trump’s election. Phrases like “Your body, my choice,” which are linked to Nick Fuentes, increased 4,600% in the 24 hours following Trump’s victory, according to a report by the Institute for Strategic Dialogue. A more unfavorable experience on the site has also resulted from X’s recent modification to the “block” tool, which allows users to access barred profiles and postings.
