Bluesky joins existing offer as a new channel featuring news about the university, research, science, the promotion of young talent and career opportunities.
Goethe University Frankfurt is expanding its digital presence and has now launched an account on the social media platform Bluesky. After leaving X (formerly Twitter) together with more than 60 other universities in January, the university is focusing on a transparent, science-friendly and decentralized alternative.
Goethe University’s latest news on university life, research, science, the promotion of young talent and careers is now available on Bluesky. The university chose Bluesky as a new central social media communications channel because it considers the platform to be a forward-thinking alternative to X, and one that is becoming increasingly important to science and research. Bluesky’s advantages over other platforms played a vital role in this decision:
- Decentralized network: Bluesky offers more openness, transparency and participation, as well as a more even distribution of power than centrally organized networks such as X.
- Familiar user interface: The platform’s user interface is similar to that of X, making it easier for researchers, students and interested parties to switch.
- More control for users:
- Since Bluesky users can customize their algorithms to personalize their feed, they have more control over the content they see.
- Bluesky users can better determine which accounts they want to interact with.
- Data protection and ID checks rest in the hands of Bluesky users.
- Transparent moderation systems and rules.
- Open access: Bluesky has been open to anyone interested in joining the platform since February 2024 and now has more than 30 million users (according to its own data, as of January 2025).
- Bluesky is ad-free (for now), which promotes authentic communication.
As part of a concerted move involving more than 60 German-speaking universities and research institutions, Goethe University Frankfurt in January announced its decision to discontinue its activities on X (formerly Twitter). Many more institutions of higher learning and research have since followed suit. The decision to leave X is based on changes in the platform’s orientation, which increasingly favor the dissemination of fake news and disinformation, and constitute problematic communication practices. Goethe University core values such as academic freedom, diversity, democratic discourse and fact-based cooperation are no longer compatible with these platform developments. Beyond that, scientific topics no longer generate any significant reach on X.
Goethe University’s central communication is now available on Bluesky at:
https://bsky.app/profile/goetheuni.bsky.social
Faculties, institutions and university members who would like to use Bluesky as an alternative or supplement to their existing social media activities can contact the PR and Communications Office with any questions. Goethe University’s other central social communications channels include Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn and YouTube.
Nina Ittermann
Further links:
Goethe University Frankfurt and numerous other German universities withdraw from “X”
TU Darmstadt study on the social media platform Bluesky
Goethe University Frankfurt on Bluesky
