Verian’s research took place between November 2024 and January 2025. The survey used a random probability approach – with only residents at addresses randomly sampled from the Royal Mail database of UK addresses invited to participate in the survey. This method provides benefits in terms of sample and data quality when compared to the approaches typically used in the UK for polling.
Users of both platforms tend to be younger than the general population.
Men make up two-thirds (64%) of Bluesky users and three-fifths (60%) of X users.
In terms of region, X users are broadly representative of the general population. However, Bluesky users are more likely to be living in the capital. A quarter (26%) of Bluesky users live in London, compared with 16% of X users, and 13% of the general population.
Social media users are much more likely to be regular internet users. Whereas half (52%) of the general population report using the internet daily for two hours or more. Two-thirds (66%) of X users, and almost three quarters (73%) of BlueSky users report this level of internet use.
The vast majority of Bluesky users (84%) follow politics very or fairly closely. This compares with 51% of the general population, and 58% of X users.
Over half (57%) of Bluesky users that voted in the 2024 General Election (and told us how they voted) voted for Labour, whereas only 4% voted for the Conservatives and 2% for Reform UK.
Reform UK voters are over-represented on X. Of those that voted and told us how they voted in 2024, 22% report voting for Reform UK (compared with 14% of UK voters at the election). This skew is particularly pronounced, given that X users are younger than the general population as a whole and that many Reform voters come from older age groups.
Across a range of measures, Bluesky users are notably more left-wing / liberal than X users and the general population of the UK.
When it comes to climate change, 84% of Bluesky users think it is mainly or entirely caused by human activity. This compares with 50% of the general population, and 54% of X users.
In aggregate, X users tend to hold broadly similar views to the general population. This is surprising given how young the X user base is (almost half under 35). This indicates that X users are more conservative / right-leaning than the general population once differences in age profile are accounted for.
A quarter (24%) of the general population in the UK aged 16+ report having an X account, compared with 3% for Bluesky.
Two-thirds (67%) of Bluesky users also have an X account, whereas only 8% of X users also have a BlueSky account
Just over half (56%) of X users report using X for news, and around half (48%) of Bluesky users report using Bluesky as a news source.
A sample of 5,561 individuals aged 16+ and living in the United Kingdom was interviewed between 18th November 2024 and 15th January 2025. The survey data tables and further details on the methodological approach and weighting will be published on the Verian website by 1 May 2025.
The sample was randomly drawn from the Royal Mail database of UK addresses. Invitations and reminders were posted to sampled addresses inviting them to participate in the survey. Data was collected online and using paper questionnaires to ensure representation of the offline population.
The data was weighted using a range of variables including age, gender, disability status, education, region, ethnicity, employment status and voting record.