Initially I heard about mastodon as a Reddit alternative, it was not. I have never been a Twitter user. I did create a Twitter account at some point, I only ever used it to post images from when I was at occupy Wall Street, and then later to follow a couple accounts for updates (Sean Murray of Hello Games). When I opened my own business I created a Twitter account for that specifically and used it to send out coupon codes and stuff like that.

Once musk bought Twitter I deleted both of my accounts. I had totally forgotten about mastodon, so I got on the list for a Bluesky code. Around the time I got my Bluesky code I heard about Lemmy, and then heard about mastodon again. Had my Bluesky code not arrived when it did, I would have created a mastodon account for my business instead of Bluesky. Since I never use either it is a moot point for me.

As depressing as it sounds, most Twitter users actually like Twitter. They're fully okay with all of its dystopian features (some even idolize pre-Musk Twitter). Mastodon is a break from Twitter in many ways, whereas bluesky is just another Twitter in their eyes (many of them probably dgaf about federation and ignore it).

because mastodon because dismissed twitter users concerns and thoughts the first exodus and bluesky implemented them in a way that's closer to twitter.

It’s multiple factors but boils down to them being easier for non-techie people to access. It’s also a culture issue. Bluesky culture is more like Mastodon than not but it is more diverse and shifts younger. Lots of gatekeepers and harassers ruined it for would be mastodon users particularly Black and Brown folk that were harassed out of the space. One of the biggest minority ran instances was shut down due to overwhelming harassment. People also don’t want to be preached to nor want to be told how to use their own damn social account and be told they’re using it wrong. Most people legit just wanted Twitter without Musk.

If Brazilian fediverse is anything like English fediverse, its community was probably tied up in discussions who to deferderate from next and vegan cat food instead of promoting Mastodon.

In addition to many of the fine points made in other comments I think it's silly to overlook the power of celebrity worship and weird-ass parasocial relationships with famous people.

There exists a large number of people who aren't really interested in discussing <topic_x>, they just want to know what thinks about the topic so that they can regurgitate it and feel like they're "the same".

I'm sure if Chappell Roan or whatever "the kids" think is cool these days had jumped to Mastodon we'd be seeing something very different. TBH I'm mildly surprised that we didn't see more record labels standing up instances. It's always boggled me that people have just trusted the service desperately trying to be known as "X" as an authority on identity.

There are a lot of people I follow who moved to Mastodon, that now appear to have moved to Bluesky (I'm seeing posts on there from people I know used to post on Mastodon).

I'm not sure why. If I move over it'll be because everybody else is there. At the moment I'm not using it much.

Threads has close ties with Instagram

(Threads uses opt-out ActivityPub.)

Edit: It's actually opt-in.

Because they'd heard of them.

The power of the fediverse is nothing next to the power of the normieverse and a couple of billion dollars in advertising money.

Those people are just crazy.