Babylon Bee faces censorship on new platform Bluesky

In the United States, the conservative satire site the Babylon Bee has recently faced content moderation issues on the social media platform Bluesky. Following its re-establishment on Bluesky, the outlet reposted a satirical article about Adm. Rachel Levine, a transgender Biden administration Cabinet member. The original post had previously led to its suspension from Twitter in 2022 due to alleged violations of hateful conduct. Shortly after debuting on Bluesky, the Babylon Bee's post was flagged and hidden by the platform’s moderation team, labeling it as "intolerance." This pattern of censorship recalls the restrictive atmosphere present on Twitter prior to Elon Musk's acquisition of the platform. Kyle Mann, the editor-in-chief of the Babylon Bee, has remarked that the situation is a troubling reminder of social media censorship. The outlet intended to make a statement by reposting the controversial article, demonstrating how even platforms that promote freedom of speech may impose their own restrictions against differing viewpoints. Mann's critique suggests that he perceives a troubling irony in Bluesky's censorship of his site, which is meant to stand against the constraints imposed by Elon Musk's predecessor on Twitter. Despite public expectations of greater tolerance on a newer platform, Bluesky’s moderation policies appear to follow a similar pattern to that of Twitter's past, as they restrict content based on community guidelines that prohibit gender identity-based harassment. These events have prompted discussions about the state of free speech and moderation policies across social media platforms and highlight the ongoing debate regarding censorship versus freedom of expression in the digital age. In recent weeks, Bluesky has seen a surge in users, with 8 million new sign-ups since Election Day, reflecting a growing interest in alternative platforms to X, the successor of Twitter. However, with a user base of 22 million, Bluesky still lags behind X's over 500 million users, raising questions about the sustainability and acceptance of Bluesky's moderation practices as it seeks to define itself in a competitive social media landscape.