Bluesky faced an outage on Thursday due to a fibre cable being damaged, which disrupted one of its internet providers, Cogent Communications. This affected connectivity for users along a network route between Raleigh-Durham and Richmond in the United States.
The issue was compounded by additional problems, including networking difficulties with Bluesky’s bare metal provider and technical complications related to Cloudflare DNS. These disruptions occurred on a day when the platform was experiencing its highest level of traffic since its launch.
The company clarified that the outage was caused by factors outside its internal infrastructure. Bluesky representatives reassured users that efforts were underway to resolve the situation quickly, with most of the disruptions addressed within a few hours.
How Long Did The Outages Last?
According to Bluesky developers, the initial outage lasted between 15 and 30 minutes. Some users experienced delays in their feeds or notifications, while others encountered error messages or blank screens. Connectivity was up or down depending on where users were, leaving some users unaffected.
Later in the day, a second outage occurred, adding to the interruptions. The timing coincided with a sudden increase in traffic as Bluesky continued to attract new users. But even with this, the platform managed to restore normal functionality for the majority of users within a relatively short period.
Although the interruptions were brief, they occurred during a crucial period for the platform’s growth, making the quick resolution an important focus for the team.
What Did The Bluesky Development Team Say?
Bluesky’s developers were proactive in communicating updates during the outages. Samuel Newman, one of the team members, alerted users early in the day about possible technical issues. When the first outage occurred, developers worked to stabilise the platform and kept users informed of their progress.
Paul Frazee, another developer, added a touch of humour to ease frustration, suggesting users “grab a soda, pet the kitty” while the team went and tried to fix the problem. This lighthearted response was well-received and helped maintain a positive tone among users.
Later, Daniel Holmgren gave users more details about the disruptions, explaining that the fibre cut, alongside network and DNS issues, had contributed to the disruptions. The team’s openness and prompt communication reassured users and helped minimise frustration during the downtime.
Why Is Bluesky Growing So quickly?
Bluesky has been rising in popularity more and more as new users turn to it for a different and new social media experience. Its decentralised model lets users connect through independent servers, which many users may find appealing compared to the traditional platforms.
In the past week alone, Bluesky gained over 2 million new users, which puts the total amount of users at 16 million. It has become one of the most downloaded apps in its category on both UK and US app stores. The platform’s transparency and its developers’ engaging communication style have played a big part in attracting users. While it faces competition from other social media apps, Bluesky continues to build a strong presence and attract attention from those who want a change when it comes to how they interact with social apps online.
