Disgusted with Mr. Mask’s claims…a mass migration from X to “Blue Sky” that began in the US and Europe! Will it be a second X?

Japan ranks second after the U.S. in the number of X (formerly Twitter) users by country!

Next to Line and YouTube, X (formerly Twitter) is the most popular social media (SNS) platform (infrastructure) with the largest number of users in Japan. The number of users of X by country in the world is estimated to be just under 100 million in the U.S., followed by Japan with just under 70 million.

In 2012, CNN, the BBC, and other media reported that a large number of X users in the U.S., Europe, and elsewhere were shifting to the similar “Blue Sky” service. It seems that not a few users of X are disgusted by this change.

What is Blue Sky? Let’s take a look at the trends among Japanese users, how it differs from X, and the advantages of using it.

BlueSky has recently been gaining more and more users, and is now being called the second X (Twitter). While most users of X are in their teens and twenties, those of Blue Sky are in their thirties.”

This is the view of Yuzuki Shibata, SNS Director of web marketing company Thinker (Shizuoka City).

To use Blue Sky, users must download the application to their devices, create their own account, and complete registration, just as they do with X.

Initially, BlueSky required an invitation from the owner of the invitation code, but in February 2012, it was opened to the public, allowing anyone to create an account.

The number of downloads of the application in Japan was approximately 360,000 in the first week after it was opened to the public, a sharp increase from the approximately 770,000 downloads in the first year when the application was available in Japan and was by invitation only.

The difference from X, which is of interest to us, can be found at ……

Mr. Shibata points out that one of the main characteristics of BlueSky is that it is a “decentralized SNS”; most SNS, such as X, are called “centralized SNS” and are operated and managed by the operating company on a single server. If the company goes bankrupt or otherwise ceases to exist, the user information stored and managed there will disappear as well. There is also the risk that an individual’s account may suddenly be frozen at the discretion of the operating company.

On the other hand, in a decentralized system, multiple servers work together to store and manage user information. In addition to being able to access the same information no matter which server is used, it is easy to back up a problem with one server, and the risk of information leakage is lowered since any server has administrative authority. Mr. Shibata says, “With administrative privileges distributed, it is easy for users to manage their own data.

Mr. Shibata also points out that BlueSky is the only other typical Japanese application that is decentralized.

Another key feature of BlueSky is that there are no “advertisements. In contrast, Shibata says, various other SNSs have more advertisements.

Another major feature of BlueSky is the ability to freely customize the timeline (feed). BlueSky calls it a “feed,” and it allows users to customize the order in which posts are displayed.

Regarding the display of posts, Mr. Shibata says, “With X, they flow automatically, but with Blue Sky, for example, people who like games or have dogs can create their own feeds, or add other people’s feeds.

The number of characters that can be posted is 300 for Blue Sky, compared to 140 for X (the free version). The number of videos is limited to a maximum of 60 seconds for Blue Sky, compared to four for X (the same version).

On the other hand, regarding the disclosure of one’s account, Shibata noted that Blue Sky “cannot be rejected,” while other applications such as X can be rejected and kept private.

In terms of functionality, BlueSky initially did not allow users to post videos, but now it does, and Mr. Shibata says, “It is gradually becoming more like X. In addition, he says, “BlueSky allows you to look through and transmit only the topics you like,” so that the timeline (feed) can be customized.

What is the usage situation in Japan?

Are Japanese users also shifting from X to Blue Sky as in the West? Mr. Shibata analyzes, “As far as I can see, many people use both X and Blue Sky,” and he believes that they are using both.

Mr. Shibata believes that “people in their teens and twenties are sensitive to trends and are more likely to use X for the latest information, while those in their thirties and older are more likely to use Blue Sky for their favorite topics.