Axios: Left-leaning media ecosystem grows after Trump win

[Dennis Donovan]

Axios - Left-leaning media ecosystem grows after Trump win

Sara Fischer
9 mins ago

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.

/snip

[Deminpenn]

1. Plenty of others are leaving X, too

Just the other day, a local sportswriter announced a move to bluesky because X has become so toxic.

X is headed for irrelevence and probably the same fate as myspace and other collasped social media sites.

[J_William_Ryan]

2. "X is headed for irrelevance and probably the same fate as myspace..."

Unfortunately, that may not be the case.

X will remain relevant for the fascist right, a place where conservatives can spread their fear, ignorance, stupidity, racism, bigotry, misogyny, and hate.

[Flatrat]

3. But it will only be reaching the already converted.

There were rumors X-itter would merge with Truth Social.

[OldBaldy1701E]

4. Yeah, until they block it all off except for official use...

And start making us pay massively just to access it at all. This will be due to the pressures from the evangelicals and their cronies who these politicians owe a lot of money to. And, from the oligarch-run companies who will make trillions from it all. They will start with regulations and then on to complete denial based on wealth (although they will never admit that). Now, gov't run internet? That will be everywhere. You won't be able to escape that. You just won't be able to learn anything except what they want you to learn. Or comment. You won't be doing that unless it meets their guidelines. Their 'sunshine and lollypop', completely pro-Gibbon guidelines.

But, until then, that's great. Communication is a key element of defending an ideal. Of course, so is Consideration and Compromise. Kind of still waiting for those. But, we will see.

(They know that they will have to get control of the internet in some way. They can never achieve what they are after without controlling or eliminating it for most people.)