The emerging social network Bluesky is seizing an opportunity amid the moderation issues faced by Instagram Threads. While Meta’s platform grapples with complaints about content handling, Bluesky, a decentralized competitor to X (formerly Twitter), has joined the conversation. Recently, the startup created an account on Threads to capitalize on the growing dissatisfaction of users, some of whom are threatening to leave Meta’s platform and migrate to Bluesky.
Instagram’s head, Adam Mosseri, stated on Wednesday that the company is investigating the moderation issues, though no definitive solution has been provided. Users have reported that their posts have been downgraded, blocked, or that their accounts have been unjustly deleted. Some speculate that the artificial intelligence used for moderation could be malfunctioning. So far, Meta has not clarified the cause of these problems.
In response, Bluesky made an appearance on Threads, sharing a direct message with users: “We heard people were talking about us… so we created an account to give you more information!” Bluesky highlighted key differences in their approach to content moderation compared to Threads. While they also have a dedicated moderation team, they assured users that they do not penalize or lower the visibility of posts discussing political topics, a practice Meta implemented before the U.S. election season.
It’s worth noting that in February, Meta announced it would stop recommending political content on Instagram and Threads, ensuring that only users who actively followed political accounts would see such content in their feeds. This decision drew criticism from various creators, who argued that the restriction limited the visibility of marginalized groups using the platform to share their experiences.
Bluesky also emphasized its unique moderation system, which introduces an “open and modular ecosystem” where organizations can develop their own moderation tools. Users can choose to subscribe to these tools to customize how they want their content filtered. Additionally, the startup highlighted its commitment to open-source software, account portability, and the ability for users to choose their preferred algorithm to organize their feed. They even shared a set of recommended accounts to follow.
It is unclear whether this move will lead to a mass migration from Threads to Bluesky, especially considering that the former boasts over 200 million monthly active users, while Bluesky, though growing, currently has around 10.7 million. Threads might resolve its issues before disgruntled users decide to leave in large numbers.
Furthermore, some users may choose to remain on Threads despite the inconveniences, particularly those who still recall when Bluesky was an invite-only network, leading to frustration among those who never received an invitation.
Even if Bluesky doesn’t manage to attract a significant number of Threads users, it continues to benefit from the feedback and comments it is receiving on Meta’s platform. Among the suggestions, users have requested improvements in thread management and integration with ActivityPub, the protocol powering Mastodon, which Threads will soon adopt when it becomes fully federated.
Bluesky, attentive to the feedback, responded: “We’re reading all your suggestions and taking notes,” along with a link to download its app.
By: Nestor Castillo, ForAllTechNews Director