Bluesky targets Threads users amid Meta's moderation troubles
- Bluesky has established an account on Instagram Threads to engage users unhappy with Meta's moderation practices.
- Users have reported issues with content downranking and account flagging, leading to speculation about AI moderation failures.
- The effectiveness of Bluesky's outreach remains to be seen, as Threads has a significantly larger user base.
In the context of ongoing moderation issues affecting Instagram Threads, the social networking startup Bluesky has launched an account on Threads to attract users dissatisfied with Meta's handling of content moderation. This move comes after Instagram's head acknowledged the moderation problems but failed to provide a clear resolution. Users have expressed frustration over their posts being downranked or accounts being flagged incorrectly, with many suspecting that AI moderation systems are malfunctioning. Bluesky aims to differentiate itself by not de-ranking political content, unlike Meta, which has limited political discussions on its platforms ahead of the U.S. election season. Additionally, Bluesky promotes an 'open stackable ecosystem' for moderation, allowing users to choose their preferred moderation tools. Despite the potential for user migration from Threads, the impact on either platform remains uncertain, as Threads boasts over 200 million active users compared to Bluesky's 10.7 million. The situation highlights the challenges social networks face in balancing user engagement and content moderation, especially during politically charged times.