Tech
Elon Musk Sparks Twitter Exodus: Bluesky Surges as Social Media Shifts
Last Updated on October 20, 2024 by Daily News Staff
In a move that has caused an exodus of users from Twitter, now rebranded as X, Elon Musk has made a controversial change to the platform’s blocking feature that many are calling a major blunder. Users have expressed outrage after discovering that blocking someone will now allow the blocked individual to still view posts and profiles, effectively undermining a crucial tool for preventing harassment.
BlueSky, the social media platform positioned as a competitor to X (formerly Twitter), faced significant downtime following a mass withdrawal of users from Elon Musk’s site. This incident highlights the ongoing struggle for dominance in the social media landscape, compounded by controversial decisions made by Musk that have prompted users to seek alternatives. For a deeper analysis of this development, you can read the full article in The Independent here.
This decision has sparked a significant backlash, leading to a surge in users flocking to Bluesky, the social media platform founded by former Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey. Following the announcement of Musk’s changes, Bluesky reported a staggering influx of over half a million new users in less than 24 hours, so much so that the platform briefly experienced an outage due to the overwhelming sign-ups.
Bluesky has seized the opportunity to highlight Musk’s misstep, emphasizing its commitment to online safety by reassuring users that if they choose to block someone, that person cannot view their content. This stark contrast to X’s new policy is resonating with users looking for a safer online environment.
Historically, Twitter has seen waves of user migration under Musk’s leadership, especially during controversial incidents like the platform’s ban in Brazil, which resulted in Bluesky gaining over three million users almost overnight. This latest change to the blocking feature appears to be another catalyst for an ongoing decline in X’s user base.
Critics of Musk’s decision argue that the new blocking system places vulnerable users at greater risk, stripping them of a necessary tool to shield themselves from harassment and abuse. While some may view blocking as a means to control interactions on the platform, many users see it as a vital way to protect their personal space online.
As the backlash against Musk’s leadership continues to mount, it’s clear that his decisions are not only alienating current users but also inadvertently boosting competitors like Bluesky, which is positioning itself as a more user-friendly alternative. The rise of Bluesky amidst Musk’s blunders could signify a significant shift in the social media landscape, as users seek safer and more respectful online spaces.
Related links:
https://www.the-independent.com/tech/bluesky-x-twitter-elon-musk-block-b2630894.html
https://futurism.com/half-million-users-join-twitter-competitor
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Last Updated on April 2, 2026 by Daily News Staff
🕒 [UPDATE] Orion Performs Translunar Injection Burn
The spacecraft has completed its critical engine burn, sending Artemis II on a trajectory toward the Moon. This marks the official start of its deep space journey.
Artemis II Successfully Launches
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — NASA has successfully launched its Artemis II mission, marking the first crewed journey toward the Moon in more than 50 years.
The powerful Space Launch System (SLS) rocket lifted off from Kennedy Space Center on April 1, carrying four astronauts on a 10-day mission around the Moon and back.
On board are Commander Reid Wiseman, Pilot Victor Glover, Mission Specialist Christina Koch, and Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen. The mission is already being hailed as a major milestone in NASA’s effort to return humans to deep space.
Shortly after liftoff, the Orion spacecraft successfully reached orbit and deployed its solar arrays, beginning its journey that will eventually send the crew on a translunar trajectory toward the Moon. 
Artemis II is a lunar flyby mission, meaning astronauts will not land but will travel farther from Earth than any human mission in decades while testing critical systems needed for future landings.
The mission also marks several historic firsts, including the first woman and the first person of color—Victor Glover—to travel into lunar space.
NASA says the mission is a key step toward future lunar landings and long-term plans to establish a human presence on the Moon later this decade.
🛰️ Artemis II Mission Timeline
The 10-day Artemis II mission follows a carefully planned trajectory from Earth to the Moon and back:
- Day 1: Launch and Earth orbit
- Day 1–2: Translunar injection burn
- Days 2–4: Deep space travel
- Days 4–5: Lunar flyby
- Days 5–8: Return to Earth
- Days 9–10: Reentry and splashdown
For official updates and in-depth mission details, visit the following trusted sources:
- NASA: Artemis II Mission Overview
- NASA Artemis Program (Return to the Moon)
- Orion Spacecraft – Mission Details
- Space Launch System (SLS) Rocket Overview
- Kennedy Space Center – Launch Operations
- Watch NASA Live Coverage and Replays
🧾 Sources
- NASA official launch coverage and mission updates
- NASA Artemis II press materials and briefings
- NASA Kennedy Space Center launch operations updates
Stay with STM Daily News for live updates on Artemis II.
CropX Technologies has launched CropX Vision, a new AI-powered vineyard monitoring solution designed to help growers measure vine water stress using a single canopy image.
The new tool uses computer vision and agronomic modeling to estimate leaf water potential from a smartphone photo, giving growers and agronomists a faster and more scalable way to assess plant stress across entire vineyard blocks. The company says the goal is to support better irrigation decisions throughout the growing season.
CropX Vision is available globally on both iOS and Android. The platform is also integrated into the broader CropX application, allowing users to combine canopy-based stress insights with other agronomic data in one place.
According to CropX, the technology offers an in-season alternative to traditional pressure chamber measurements, which can be more time-consuming and limited in sampling range. Instead of relying on specialized equipment, growers can capture a single image in the field and receive plant-level water stress insights.
The product builds on technology originally developed by Tule Technologies, a California-based precision irrigation company acquired by CropX in 2023. Tule’s canopy sensing technology has already been used in California vineyards, and CropX is now expanding that capability to growers worldwide.
CropX says the global release reflects its continued focus on data-driven tools that help growers improve productivity while managing water more efficiently.
CropX Vision is now available for download via the app stores:
- iOS: https://apps.apple.com/nl/app/cropx-vision/id6756921607?l=en-GB
- Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.cropx.cropx_vision&pcampaignid=web_share
For more information, visit CropX Vision.
Visit the Food and Drink section on STM Daily News for the latest food news, beverage trends, restaurant stories, seasonal recipes, culinary events, and community-driven lifestyle coverage.
Consumer Corner
Unilever, Google Cloud Strike Five-Year AI Partnership to Reshape Consumer Goods Marketing
Unilever and Google Cloud have announced a five-year partnership aimed at accelerating the consumer goods giant’s digital transformation through AI, cloud infrastructure, and data modernization.
The deal centers on helping Unilever strengthen brand discovery, marketing measurement, and AI-driven customer engagement across its global portfolio, which includes Dove, Vaseline, and Hellmann’s. A major focus is the rise of conversational and agentic commerce, where consumers increasingly discover and shop for products through AI-powered interactions rather than traditional search and browsing.
As part of the agreement, Unilever will migrate its integrated data and cloud platform to Google Cloud, creating what the companies describe as an AI-first digital backbone. That system is intended to help Unilever move faster on demand generation, turn data into actionable insights, and respond more quickly to shifts in the market.
The partnership is built around three pillars:
- Agentic commerce and marketing intelligence
- An integrated data and cloud foundation
- Advanced AI adoption across the business
Unilever leadership framed the move as part of a broader shift in which technology is becoming central to value creation in the fast-moving consumer goods sector. Google Cloud said the collaboration will use advanced AI models, including Gemini, to help modernize business processes and improve agility.
Unilever said it generated €50.5 billion in sales in 2025, operates in more than 190 countries, and reaches 3.7 billion people every day.
What to watch for
- How “agentic commerce” changes consumer brand discovery
- Whether other major CPG companies follow with similar AI-cloud partnerships
- How AI-backed marketing measurement impacts ad efficiency and conversion
Source: PR Newswire / Google Cloud
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