Bluesky announces moderate changes focused on better tracking and improved transparency

The decentralized social network Bluesky, a competitor to X and Threads, announced on Wednesday that it is making more changes to its moderation process. Specifically, the company said it is providing new updates on how it tracks violations of its community guidelines and enforces its policies. This includes the inclusion of new reporting categories in the app, changes to the ‘fines’ system for violations, and more guidance provided for those who break the rules.

The moderation changes are rolling out with the latest version of the Bluesky app (version 1.110), which also includes a dark mode app icon and a redesigned feature to control who can reply to your post.

The company says the moderation updates are a result of Bluesky’s rapid growth and the need for “clear standards and expectations for how people treat each other” on the platform.

“At Bluesky, people meet, fall in love, are discovered as artists, and have discussions on niche topics in cozy corners. At the same time, some of us have developed a habit of saying things behind screens that we would never say in person,” the company shared in an announcement explaining the changes.

However, the news also comes on the heels of the platform’s most recent moderation violations, which saw a user suspended for making a comment that Bluesky interpreted as a threat of violence. Writer and influencer Sarah Kendzior wrote in a post on Bluesky that she wanted to “shoot the author of this article just to watch him die” — a reference to the lyrics of the Johnny Cash song. The choice of words was appropriate because she was commenting on an article about Johnny Cash that she didn’t like.

Plosky’s team said Kendzior was suspended because she expressed a “desire to shoot the author of the article” — an overly literal reading of her suspension.

With the updated rules, Bluesky appears to be focused on ensuring the platform retains a sense of community and doesn’t devolve into the toxicity that now fuels X, where vitriol and hateful comments are often the norm.

For starters, Bluesky is expanding reporting options for posts from six to nine, allowing users to more accurately report issues and helping moderators take action on important reports more quickly. For example, you can now report things like youth harassment, bullying, or eating disorders, which may help meet Bluesky’s need to comply with a set of new laws designed to protect minors online. Additionally, it will allow users to report potential human trafficking content to meet the requirements of the UK Online Safety Act.

To help with this, Bluesky has enhanced its internal tools to automatically track violations and enforcement actions in one place. The system will also make sure people get clear information about what happened and where they stand.

The company points out that it is not changing what it charges, but rather that it is making its tools better so that they are more consistent and transparent in their application.

As part of this, Bluesky’s strike system will now assign a severity rating to content, which will help dictate enforcement actions taken. For example, content flagged as “serious risk” may result in a permanent ban. Other content may receive a lower, medium, or higher penalty. If an account commits violations, the user may also risk a permanent ban rather than a temporary suspension.

Additionally, the company says users will be notified when they are subject to enforcement action with information about the Community Guidelines they violated, the severity level assigned, the total number of violations, how close they are to the next account-level action threshold, and the duration and end date of any suspension. Enforcement proceedings could also be resumed, the company said.

The changes also come on the heels of Bluesky rolling out updated community guidelines in October, as part of its broader focus on becoming more aggressive about moderation and enforcement on the platform.

But even as the company emphasizes its stricter rules, some Bluesky users remain upset that the company still allows a user widely criticized for his writings on transgender issues to maintain his account on the platform. This controversy erupted back in October, when Bluesky CEO Jay Graber appeared to dismiss user criticism in a few posts.

The crux of the issue is how Plosky wants to be perceived versus who he actually is today.

The company doesn’t want to be known as just a left-wing or liberal version of Twitter; It wants to be a home where many different communities can build their networks and thrive, without the problems of a centralized social network. However, much of the community that adopted Bluesky did so because they no longer felt represented on Twitter/X, which has become more right-leaning under new owner Elon Musk.

In addition to its desire to shape its image, Bluesky must balance its goals with a growing number of laws and regulations that require social platforms to protect their users from harm or face potentially serious consequences, such as huge fines. For example, earlier this year, Bluesky blocked its service in Mississippi, saying it didn’t have the resources to meet the state’s age security law, which would fine the network up to $10,000 per user for noncompliance.