Bluesky has gained attention on Threads, Meta’s social media platform, as more users express frustrations over Meta’s content moderation.
Meta has been facing criticism for its moderation policies on Threads, which has resulted in user posts being downranked, blocked, or flagged incorrectly. Adam Mosseri, head of Threads, acknowledged these issues but hasn’t yet provided a clear explanation or solution.
Bluesky, a decentralized social media service, has taken advantage of the situation by creating an account on Threads to connect with dissatisfied users and promote itself as an alternative.
Bluesky Touts Its User-Driven Moderation Model
Bluesky made its debut on Threads on Wednesday, referencing the ongoing discussions about its platform. “Heard people were talking about us … so we created an account to share some more information!” the company wrote in its first post.
Bluesky then outlined how it differs from Meta in terms of moderation, particularly its more user-driven model. While it has a baseline of moderation, Bluesky allows users to control the type of content they want to see and even lets independent organizations create their own moderation tools, which users can choose to apply to their feed.
Unlike Meta, Bluesky doesn’t limit political content. Meta had previously announced that it would no longer recommend political content on Threads and Instagram unless users specifically followed political accounts. This decision, intended to reduce political tension on its platforms, sparked a backlash among creators who argued that it limited the visibility of marginalized voices. Meta’s approach to moderation, which some believe relies heavily on AI systems, has also led to users being penalized for benign posts. For example, some people have reported being flagged for using terms like “cracker” or “saltines.”
Bluesky, in contrast, offers a decentralized, flexible moderation system, allowing users to curate their experience according to personal preferences. Bluesky CEO Jay Graber explained earlier this year that the platform provides default moderation for new users, but customization options allow for a more tailored experience. This approach has attracted attention as an alternative to Meta’s more rigid system.
Rising Popularity on Threads
As frustrations with Meta’s moderation policies grew over the past week, Bluesky began trending on Threads. Users increasingly discussed switching to the decentralized platform, with “Bluesky vs Meta moderation” becoming a popular topic. In a post on Threads, Bluesky emphasized its independence from corporate control, writing, “We’re not like the other girls… we’re not owned by a billionaire. Your social experience should be yours to customize, not bent to the whims of whoever the owner of the platform is.”
Bluesky currently has around 10.8 million users, up from 8.8 million following the shutdown of X in Brazil last month. While the exact number of new users joining since Bluesky’s rise on Threads is unclear, the surge in attention suggests increased interest. Threads, on the other hand, continues to dwarf Bluesky in terms of scale, with over 200 million monthly active users.
However, not all Threads users are eager to switch, as some expressed frustration with Bluesky’s invite-only approach. Despite this, Bluesky is actively collecting feedback from those who have joined its platform, responding to requests for features like better threading in posts and integration with ActivityPub, the protocol used by Mastodon and soon to be supported by Threads.
Bluesky has assured its users that it’s listening, stating, “We’re reading all the feedback you have and taking notes,” while encouraging users to download its app.
Featured Image courtesy of Bluesky
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