Bluesky’s swift rise to prominence has come with challenges, particularly in content moderation. Over 42,000 user complaints were filed within a 24-hour window from Thursday evening to Friday, posing a test to the platform’s ability to manage such volume. Bluesky’s moderation team, now facing up to 3,000 reports per hour, is now being tested by this influx.
These complaints range from spam and scams to severe issues involving child exploitation, prompting Bluesky to adopt a triage strategy to address the most critical cases first.
Bluesky´s Surge in User Numbers and Why It Matters
The record number of reports coincides with Bluesky’s explosive growth. The platform now has surpassed 19 million users, adding over a million new members daily.
The most recent spike is driven by discontent with X (formerly Twitter) following policy changes and Elon Musk’s public endorsement of Donald Trump in his re-election campaign.
Changes at X included modifications to its blocking feature, allowing blocked accounts to still view public posts, and an October policy shift that opened user data for AI model training. These decisions triggered a significant migration to Bluesky.
The Challenge of Managing Growth
The exponential growth brought challenges in content moderation. In 2023, the platform processed around 360,000 user complaints overall, but only a small number of flagged accounts—less than 5,000—were suspended after review. This data underscores the challenge of effectively handling harmful behavior on a platform that continues to expand.
The most recent surge in reports indicates a new level of pressure, as the moderation system attempts to prioritize the most critical content, from spam to high-risk cases involving child exploitation. The need for faster, more robust moderation has become clear as Bluesky’s user base keeps growing, propelled by disillusioned former users of X and new communities worldwide.
Origins and Independence from Twitter
Originally envisioned in 2019 under then-CEO Jack Dorsey, Bluesky began as an exploration of decentralized technology within Twitter. Parag Agrawal, who was Twitter’s CTO at the time, led the project, collaborating with decentralized tech communities like Mastodon to build a new type of social network. The work led to the development of the Authenticated Transfer (AT) Protocol, initially dubbed the Authenticated Data Experiment (ADX), designed to give users more control over their digital content by decoupling data storage from interaction.
In 2021, Bluesky broke away from Twitter and became an independent public benefit corporation, a move that predated Musk’s acquisition of Twitter in late 2022. The platform secured $13 million from Twitter before its split and later received $8 million in seed funding led by Neo, a venture capital firm known for backing tech startups.
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Why Bluesky Stands Out
One of Bluesky’s distinct features is the AT Protocol, which supports decentralization by employing Personal Data Servers (PDSs), Relays, and AppViews. This system ensures that users can store their data separately from the main application interface, enhancing privacy and control.
A key aspect of the AT Protocol is its use of Merkle tree structures, cryptographic systems that validate data integrity and prevent tampering in a distributed network. Meanwhile, decentralized identifiers (DIDs) offer unique user identities that don’t rely on a central authority, though Bluesky’s implementation currently relies on some centralized components.
Bluesky’s platform also offers domain-based handles, allowing users to verify their accounts through DNS records, a feature aimed at simplifying identity verification. Custom Feeds empower users to shape their timelines with algorithms they choose or create, positioning Bluesky as an alternative to the automated curation seen on other platforms.
Global Appeal and Financial Uncertainty
The platform’s rise has been bolstered by events in different regions. For instance, after the Brazilian Supreme Court temporarily suspended X for non-compliance with regulations in September 2024, Bluesky saw a surge in sign-ups, dominating app charts in the country.
The appeal extended to Japan, where endorsements from well-known figures like Ui Shigure, an illustrator and VTuber, briefly led to more Japanese content being posted than English.
Despite its rapid growth, financial sustainability remains a question for Bluesky. The company’s primary revenue stream comes from the sale of domain-linked usernames, and CEO Jay Graber, with a background in cryptocurrency projects, has yet to outline a more comprehensive plan for supporting the platform’s infrastructure and growth.
Whether Bluesky can scale its operations effectively while managing moderation demands and user autonomy will be a critical factor in its continued success.
