The weather sphere migrating en masse to Bluesky

[Dan Robinson]

The election results and Twitter/X’s new TOS have created a “perfect storm” that seems to be driving a remarkable number of the weather, science and chasing community (#wxtwitter) to Bluesky. I decided to try out the platform a couple of weeks ago, and it is really booming with activity as of late.

I have mixed feelings about this development. On one hand, I can’t support Twitter/X’s complete subsuming of photography and video content while simultaneously shutting off traffic to external links. This makes posting any content of value to the platform a one-sided transaction in which only the platform profits. Bluesky, by contrast, has no such algorithm or rights grab.

On the other hand, I feel like we’re just witnessing the formation of a new echo chamber. Most people who are making the move to Bluesky are doing so for political reasons. I had to block and mute tons of political detritus on Twitter/X. On Bluesky, I’m having to do just as much of the same.

I know we’ve had discussions on how abysmal social media has become for our collective and individual well-being, but Twitter/X has always been a very useful tool for weather and chasing (once you fortify your mute functions). These developments will definitely impact that. Many in the weather and science community will no doubt refuse to participate in Bluesky for the same opposing political reasons, which will divide the weather world in the same way our country is divided. It’s really a shame.

This division is not organic but manufactured. It’s not that everyone is looking at the same information and coming to 2 different conclusions. No, we are being fed 2 different skewed/false versions of reality depending on what side you’re already on. Neither is *actual* reality, but everyone is convinced they’re on the smarter side and only the other side is being fooled. This is a symptom of the dystopia of our completely compromised information dissemination systems, and is creeping (or maybe now barnstorming into) weather now. The Twitter/Bluesky rift will just worsen the injection of those two fantasy worlds into science and public safety. We need to be talking to one another, people who we know to be real and not AI or fake personas.

I hope there isn’t too much political subset matter in this post for a public ST thread, but I feel it’s an important development in the weather and chasing community to talk about.

 

[Jamie H]

I know in terms of my work and clients there, my advice is going to be to close or deactivate X accounts, because engagement rates are non-existent unless it's juicy political content. Facebook, in our industry, is just as bad for engagement rates, and it's only really Instagram which still does the job. I'm much less concerned with whichever 'new' platform comes, because it's really just fracturing the audience.

I would definitely agree that most of the internet, news media, and TV is now virtually appealing to one side or the other, which with my marketing hat on, is a pain! We are lucky to have the BBC here, because both the left and right feel it is biased towards the other side, which means it's probably striking the right balance!

 

[Warren Faidley]

So many people complain about X (Twitter) and the politics, while they are the same people who re-post false political garbage like "this candidate is a raspiest or this candidate is a molester. Give me a break. You cannot complain about the politics on X when you are actively engaged in political slander. Nor can you have it your way only. I guarantee Bluesky will have to enact the same or similar controls when things get out of control.

I should also remind people that Bluesky has basically the same Terms of Service as X. It's just worded in simpler terms. You grant Bluesky the perpetual right to: "Modify or otherwise utilize User Content in any media. This includes reproducing, preparing derivative works, distributing, performing, and displaying your User Content. Grant others the right to take the actions above." (Edited for length). There is nothing in the agreement that says they cannot use the Content for AI learning, the problem people say they have with X. Nor do they need permission. AI bots can scan any social media platform and "learn."

 

[Sean Ramsey]

I've almost gotten to the point that I feel sorry for those who use social media who will never know what it's like to be free from it. Never ending moving goalposts with ever-changing algorithms, relentless political nonsense, disingenuous re-hashed content....no thanks.

The weather community is a microcosm of the larger population. Twitter/X in theory was and would be great as a place to receive and distribute instantaneous weather notifications, alas it is made up of people, and people never miss an opportunity to ruin a good thing. BlueSky will be no different, just a lot bluer (just like Twitter used to be).

 

[Ben Holcomb]

As someone whos lived in both worlds, it is much preferable to stay off socials. Can't imagine what an echo chamber bluesky is and what X will become if everyone just self sorts into their own "tribe". Leading up to the US (s)elections last week I was seeing people "from both sides" adamant that their candidate would win in a landslide. Obviously both could not be true, and people were truly shocked on the outcome.

With that said I just made a X account again the other day so I can send NWS reports and interact occasionally. If it starts becoming a time sink, goodbye it will go. Already seeing a lot of the old re-hashed content and some drama from the 100 or so I followed.

 

[John Farley]

I would definitely agree that most of the internet, news media, and TV is now virtually appealing to one side or the other, which with my marketing hat on, is a pain! We are lucky to have the BBC here, because both the left and right feel it is biased towards the other side, which means it's probably striking the right balance!

A few weeks ago, I attended a talk on the spread of fake news. That discussion is for some other thread, but a side point of the speaker was a rating of all major news organizations for left-right leanings. BBC was right in the middle. The speaker's argument for the reason was that it is publicly funded, and to keep its funding, it has to stay in the middle to avoid alienating either side too much.

 

[John Farley]

I have never been on X/Twitter. Its word limits guarantee superficiality and oversimplification. So I never went there and never will. And I never heard of Bluesky until this thread, so probably not going there, either. Only one I am on is Facebook, and that is a bit much at times. But still good for sharing pics and info with friends/family, and of course for an occasional political rant. And if I want to be superficial and oversimplified, I still can, since there is no minimum word limit ;-)

 

[James K]

I've never been into Twitter, and now I certainly won't touch it (has nothing to do with the TOS, but rather the ownership.) Infact I think its gonna go on my network blocklist so I don't even accidentally click a link there.

I've heard of BlueSky before, but never looked at it. There was an article in todays paper that said the site has gained a million users just in the past week.
Doesn't sound like a site I'd have much use for or interest in, but I'll probably go look around on it just for the heck of it.

 

[Warren Faidley]

The late great David Niven (actor) said that he never talked about politics because it made his characters less believable. Johnny Carson had the same approach and no late night host has come close to his quality of late-night showmanship. It's a shame so many people I follow cannot separate politics from weather topics. This is a great example of why ST has survived in my opinion.

I recently visited Bluesky (not signed in) and the entire front page was venom, fake news and hate left over from the election. I'm not going to spend time customizing the site like X, removing key words and redesigning columns (via ad blockers), to avoid constant political statements, from both sides. I'm not going to make a living from posting on X or Bluesky. I'm not going to worry about AI learning because bots can do that on any site.

 

[James K]

I tried to look at the Bluesky site with no luck ...
First simply going to 'bluesky.com' which obviously was not the thing, being some sorta dayplanner site (wonder how many wrong visits they get?)
Then I tried google'ing it, and it(google) gave me some crap error about my computer sending unusual requests. ? bluesky is an unusual request ?? .lol. wtf. It wanted me to enable JavaScript & cookies. Nope, sorry google no cookie or java for you! Off to duck duck go I head.

From there I found..
Looks like the site is 'bsky.social' , but all I could find there is info about it. No user content.
There were also ofcourse links to the mobile app. I don't do apps so didn't even bother with those.
So I'm guessing its one of those mobile/app things only. That alone means I'm not interested.

But reading this:

I recently visited Bluesky (not signed in) and the entire front page was venom, fake news and hate left over from the election.

Sounds like I'm not missing anything. Last thing I want to look at is a bunch of political crap!