As large numbers of new registrants reportedly join the alternative social platform, Keir Starmer, has said that neither he individually, nor departments as entities, are currently intending to do likewise
There are currently no plans for government departments to join social networking site Bluesky, the prime minister has said.
At a press conference during the G20 summit in Brazil, Keir Starmer was asked if he planned to join the platform, or for government departments to open official accounts. He said: “No plans at the moment, we’re obviously still using Twitter.”
He added: “What’s important for a government is that we’re able to reach as many people and communicate with as many people as possible and that’s the sole test for any of this as far as I’m concerned.”
The government has, meanwhile, said that departmental communications teams can use TikTok in exceptional circumstances.
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Usage of Bluesky has surged in recent weeks, with more than one million users reportedly joining per day and many Whitehall and Westminster watchers choosing to sign up. There are even suggestions that a couple of permanent secretaries have registered for the platform.
Bluesky was co-founded by Twitter co-founder and former chief executive Jack Dorsey, who has since left the company.
The current owner, Elon Musk, is now co-leading a charge to cut thousands of civil serivce jobs in the United States, and has said he wants to stop civil servants in the US from being able to work from home and to make it easier to fire them.
Incoming US president Donald Trump has appointed Musk as co-chair of the new Department of Government Efficiency, a proposed advisory commission which aims to “dismantle government bureaucracy, slash excess regulations, cut wasteful expenditures and restructure federal agencies”.
