Who’s Driving the Tariff Conversation on Bluesky?

Our Social Listening Study Unpacks the Key Voices and Narratives

At Sybaris, we’ve been exploring how political conversations are shifting to new platforms — and Bluesky is one of the most interesting ones to watch. It’s quickly becoming a space where EU policymakers, journalists and influencers are sharing ideas more openly and directly than on traditional networks.

That’s why we carried out a social listening study focused on Tariffs in Europe, collecting public posts from the past year and zooming in on key accounts across the EU political space.

What We Found

The discussion on tariffs is anything but one-dimensional. It’s shaped by geopolitics, trade tensions, and even cultural symbols like wine and soybeans. Four themes stood out:

1. Transatlantic Trade & Tariff Tensions – The most prominent subtopic. Posts focus on US–EU trade friction, especially legacy tariffs from the Trump era and their ongoing effects.
   
2. Targeted Sectors: Alcohol & Agrifood – Products like wine, cheese, and soybeans are central to the debate, often discussed as cultural symbols in politically driven trade disputes.
   
3. Global Trade Ecosystem: Canada, China & Tesla – Users frame tariffs within a global context, with frequent mentions of China, Canada, Tesla, and the WTO.
   
4. Media Narratives & Public Opinion – Many posts respond to news or speeches, often with sarcasm or scepticism, reflecting distrust in how trade policy is communicated and implemented.

The tone? Often cynical, sometimes sharp, but always politically aware. Many users challenge the logic behind tariffs, question EU strategy, and show concern for economic fallout.

A Closer Look at the Network

We built a network graph (included in the infographic) showing how authors and hashtags connect. What it revealed:

• Clear clusters form around topics like #trade, #china, #wto
  
• Some users act as bridges, posting across communities
  
• Hashtags reflect political polarisation, with distinct ideological zones
  
• Cultural and institutional conversations run in parallel, but rarely mix
  

Who’s Influencing the Debate?

We identified key voices:

• Experts with high engagement: David Henig, Alan Beattie, Steve Peers
  
• Strategic niche profiles: Alex von Witzleben
  
• Amplifiers with big audiences but low activity: e.g. Krassenstein
  
• Peripheral contributors: active but with limited reach
  

What We Offer

This Bluesky study is part of our work helping clients understand how digital conversations influence public perception and policy. We provide:

• Hashtag and keyword summaries
  
• Author profiles and tone analysis
  
• Custom reports for strategy or campaigns
  

📩 Want to better understand how to engage with the right voices?
Let’s talk — we’ll help you navigate the conversation and make your message count.