**Taylor Swift Enthusiasts Depart X/Twitter for Bluesky: A Transformation in Fan Culture**

Kayla, a 29-year-old financial services professional residing in Jacksonville, Florida, attributes one of the most unforgettable experiences of her life to Twitter: meeting Taylor Swift. For more than ten years, she was an active member of the lively Swiftie community on the platform. However, like many others, she’s making the shift from X (the rebranded Twitter) to Bluesky, a fresh social media venue.

“I couldn’t remain on X any longer,” Kayla expressed to *Mashable*. “I didn’t wish to engage with a platform that amplifies right-wing narratives, supports fraudsters, and benefits Elon Musk. By staying, I felt like I was playing a part in it.” She transitioned to Bluesky the day after the 2024 presidential election and has not interacted with her 25,000 X followers since.

### The Diminishing of Stan Twitter

For many years, “Stan Twitter” — a network of users dedicated to discussing their favorite celebrities and pop culture — was a foundation of the platform. Swifties, one of the largest and most energetic groups, significantly influenced its culture. Nevertheless, X has seen stagnation in growth since Elon Musk took over, causing the platform to lose users at unprecedented rates. In contrast, Bluesky, which recently reached 20 million users, is emerging as a viable alternative, providing a fresh environment for fans desiring a more uplifting space.

The move to Bluesky holds particular importance for Swifties, who have been pivotal in nurturing online fan communities. Many perceive this shift as an opportunity to regain the sense of togetherness that once characterized their online environments.

### A Crucial Moment: Brazil’s X Ban

Stan Twitter faced a serious setback in September 2024 when X was banned in Brazil following a confrontation between Musk and Brazilian Supreme Court Justice Alexandre Moraes. The ban disconnected over 20 million users, silencing numerous fan accounts dedicated to artists such as Harry Styles and Cardi B. Brazil has long served as a significant center for fan culture, even giving rise to the well-known “Come to Brazil” meme, which playfully illustrates the nation’s eagerness for international celebrities.

While X was reinstated in Brazil in October subsequent to Musk paying hefty fines and adhering to court mandates, the episode highlighted the platform’s precariousness. During this time, Bluesky witnessed substantial growth in Brazil, presenting itself as a more dependable haven for fan communities.

### Reasons Behind Swifties Departing X

The rapport between Swifties and X has increasingly eroded. Numerous fans have openly voiced their discontent with Musk’s management and the platform’s approach to crucial issues. For example, in January, AI-generated pornographic deepfakes of Taylor Swift circulated widely on X, and it took the platform several days to block search results for her name. Swifties united to defend their icon, trending #ProtectTaylorSwift and inundating tags with positive content, yet the incident left an enduring impact.

Musk himself has managed to distance fans. Following Swift’s endorsement of Vice President Kamala Harris for the 2024 election, Musk tweeted something many deemed out of line, stating, “Fine Taylor … you win … I will give you a child and guard your cats with my life.”

For fans like SJ, a 22-year-old from Rhode Island, the election served as a breaking point. “After the elections, my entire timeline was either filled with people upset about global issues or announcing their new accounts on different platforms,” she remarked. Though she had set up a Bluesky account months prior, she only became active after witnessing more fans transition. “It actually feels like there’s a community this time,” she noted, adding that she’s already experiencing greater engagement on Bluesky than on X.

Nonetheless, SJ isn’t prepared to erase her X account just yet. “I don’t want to sacrifice nearly ten years of tweets and memories,” she clarified. Instead, she intends to gradually diminish her activity on the platform.

### Obstacles in Completely Shifting to Bluesky

Not every Swiftie has entirely made the move to Bluesky. Noah Levy, a 26-year-old from St. Louis, Missouri, has been motivating his 31,000 X followers to transition to Bluesky but hasn’t observed the same surge in the new platform. “It’s not as if everyone simply left Twitter for Bluesky,” he commented. “I’m intrigued to see if a complete migration will ever materialize.”

A significant hurdle is the lack of essential accounts on Bluesky. While some renowned fan hubs, such as Pop Base and Discussing Film, have successfully transitioned, others, including Taylor Nation — Swift’s official management account — remain on X. Taylor Nation plays a key role in engaging with fans and facilitating special opportunities, which complicates the transition for some Swifties.

Kayla recognizes this obstacle but remains hopeful. “It will be challenging for everyone to make the transition due to Taylor Nation,”