ICE has become the third most-blocked account on Bluesky after the platform verified the government account last week, according to data from independent tracking services, prompting renewed backlash from users over the presence of U.S. government agencies on the social network.
Verification Triggers Blocking Surge
According to third-party trackers, the account belonging to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement rose to the No. 3 position among the most-blocked accounts on Bluesky shortly after receiving its official verification on Friday. Users responded by encouraging others to block the account directly or to subscribe to block lists that include official U.S. government accounts.
One tracker shows the ICE account is already more than 60 percent of the way toward becoming the most-blocked account on the platform.
Origins Of Government Account Blocklists
The block list widely shared among users originated last October, when the White House and several government agencies under the Trump administration joined Bluesky. At the time, those accounts posted messages blaming Democrats for a government shutdown. Accounts created during that period included the departments of Homeland Security, Commerce, Transportation, Interior, Health and Human Services, State, and Defense, along with the White House.
That influx made the White House one of the most-blocked accounts on the platform. According to statistics shared by the tracking site Clearsky, the White House currently ranks as the No. 2 most-blocked account, trailing only Vice President J.D. Vance.
ICE Account Timeline And Verification Questions
ICE did not join Bluesky during the October rollout of government accounts. Data from Bluecrawler’s Join Date Checker shows that the account @icegov.bsky.social joined the platform on November 26, 2025.
The account received verification only days ago, according to the independently run Verified Account Tracker. The delayed verification raised questions about whether Bluesky lacked sufficient information, was unaware of the account, or was internally deliberating how to handle the verification. Bluesky has not responded to requests for comment.
ICE maintains verified accounts on several other social media platforms, including X, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and LinkedIn. YouTube is the exception, as it does not apply the same verification mechanism.
Fediverse Tensions And Platform Differences
Bluesky’s decision to host and verify ICE has drawn comparisons with larger social media platforms and renewed debate about how the platform aligns with the fediverse, a loose network of independent but interconnected social platforms where users and server operators exert more control over visibility and moderation.
The fediverse includes platforms such as Mastodon, Pixelfed, PeerTube, Flipboard, and, to a limited extent, Instagram Threads, which is not fully federated. The U.S. government does not maintain Mastodon accounts, though users can choose to follow accounts like @potus on Threads from Mastodon.
One reason cited for avoiding Mastodon is its smaller user base. Another is that any government account joining the network could be blocked by individual server operators. While a government agency could operate its own server, other servers could refuse to federate with it, limiting its reach.
Reactions From Mastodon Founder And Bridge Changes
Mastodon founder Eugen Rochko, who stepped down as CEO in November citing burnout, recently posted an anti-ICE message on Mastodon stating that “Abolish ICE” did not go far enough in addressing issues in the United States.
One day later, Rochko announced that he was opting his account out of the bridge connecting Mastodon and Bluesky.
Bridging technology such as Bridgy Fed is designed to connect decentralized platforms that run on different protocols, including Bluesky’s AT Protocol. On the same day as Rochko’s announcement, Bridgy Fed launched support for domain block lists on bridged accounts, which could allow fediverse users to block government agencies posting on Bluesky.
When asked whether ICE’s presence on Bluesky influenced his decision to leave the bridge, Rochko declined to confirm, saying the decision was personal.
Ongoing Disputes Over Decentralized Networks
Tensions have persisted between fediverse communities and newer decentralized platforms, including Bluesky and related networks such as Blacksky and Northsky Social. The disagreements stem from differing approaches to decentralization and governance, with some users opposing bridges between networks altogether.
Featured image credits: PICRYL
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