Left-leaning apps, news websites and social networks are experiencing a spike in engagement following President-elect Trump’s election win, further dividing the internet along political lines.
Why it matters: It’s not unusual for resistance media to rise in response to contentious elections. But the internet itself is becoming more politically divided than ever, driving Americans further into echo chambers.
Driving the news: Bluesky, an alternative to Elon Musk’s X, saw downloads rise by 430% during election week, according to Sensor Tower.
- Usage of the Bluesky app in the U.S. grew by 519% in the weeks after the election, compared to the first 10 months of the year, per SimilarWeb.
- The social network’s growth is linked to users “either leaving X or investing more time in exploring a promising alternative,” SimilarWeb’s editor of insights news and research, David Carr, noted.
Between the lines: Lefty, a dating app for progressives, has experienced an unprecedented 453% surge in downloads in the two weeks since the election, founder and CEO Alex Felipelli told Axios.
- “The surge in downloads since the recent Trump victory underscores a profound shift among progressives who are seeking like-minded partners in a deeply polarized political climate,” he said.
https://www.axios.com/2024/11/22/bluesky-popularity-liberal-social-media-trump