Mark Cuban, billionaire entrepreneur and longtime “Shark Tank” star, is stepping back from Bluesky, the social media platform once hailed as a kinder, more thoughtful alternative to X.
He also expressed surprise at how conversations now seem easier on the very platforms Bluesky was meant to replace.
“CRAZY how it’s easier these days to have a real discussion on X, or Threads, than on here,” he wrote.
According to Cuban, Bluesky has taken a sharp turn for the worse, and he’s had enough.
From Hopeful Start to Frustration
When Cuban joined Bluesky in late 2024, he seemed optimistic about the platform.
One of his first posts read, “Hello Less Hateful World,” a clear shot at the direction X had taken after Elon Musk’s acquisition. For a while, Bluesky lived up to its promise.
Cuban engaged in spirited debates, weighed in on political topics, and even praised the platform for its civility.
But nearly a year later, things have changed. “Engagement went from great convos on many topics, to agree with me or you are a nazi fascist,” he wrote in a recent post.
Cuban added that even minor disagreements are met with harsh labels.
“Even if you agree with 95% of what a person is saying on a topic, if there is one point that you might call out as being more of a gray area, they will call you a fascist, etc.”
Atmosphere Turning Hostile
Cuban described Bluesky’s environment as increasingly toxic. In his words, it’s grown “ruder and more hateful,” and there’s a “lack of tolerance for differing views.”
In response to a user who mentioned missing his posts and acknowledged why he might not be active anymore, Cuban replied: “It became pointless.”
What Went Wrong?
Bluesky gained steam in 2024 after many users fled X due to Elon Musk’s political activity and platform changes.
According to the Pew Research Center, Bluesky’s user base jumped from 10 million to 30 million between November 2024 and May 2025. It became a refuge for users seeking a more progressive, civil space.
But Cuban believes that same bubble is now part of the problem. In a series of posts, he pointed out the “lack of diversity of thought” and the way the platform now punishes even slight dissent.
“There used to be great give-and-take discussions on politics and news. Not so much anymore. Doesn’t have to be this way,” he said.
He shared a Washington Post opinion piece titled, “The Bluesky bubble hurts liberals and their causes,” and endorsed its main point: that a platform dominated by one ideology can alienate even those who initially supported it.
Cuban also encouraged users to moderate their feeds instead of lashing out.
“If you see someone you don’t want to see on here, just block them. Don’t attack them.”
Users Drifting Back to X
Ironically, the problems on Bluesky are driving people back to X, the platform many left behind.
Cuban acknowledged this directly: “We are forcing posts to X,” he wrote.
So far, he hasn’t said whether he plans to return to Bluesky. But his comments send a clear message: the platform that once looked like a better social media future is starting to feel like more of the same, just with a different flavor of intolerance.
IMAGE CREDIT: “Mark Cuban” by Gage Skidmore, via Flickr. Licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0. Image adjusted for layout.