Petition to Remove Block Lists (Moderation Lists) Disrupting the Bluesky Social Platform
To the Bluesky Team and Community,
We, the undersigned users of Bluesky, call for the immediate review and removal of block lists (moderation lists) that are being misused to disrupt the platform’s open and inclusive environment. While moderation tools are essential for maintaining a safe online space, certain block lists have been weaponized to unfairly target, silence, and exclude individuals based on personal biases, disagreements, or arbitrary criteria, rather than addressing genuine harmful behavior.
These disruptive block lists undermine Bluesky’s core principles of fostering free expression, diverse perspectives, and authentic community engagement. They stifle constructive dialogue, and erode trust in the platform’s commitment to fairness. Specifically, we are concerned about:
Lack of Transparency: Many block lists operate without clear criteria or accountability, leaving users unaware of why they’ve been targeted or how to appeal.
Mass Blocking: Indiscriminate use of block lists to exclude large groups of users, often without evidence of wrongdoing, discourages participation and fragments the community.
Manipulation and Abuse: Some lists are curated to settle personal vendettas, rather than to address harassment or harmful content.
Impact on Platform Growth: Excessive reliance on block lists risks alienating new users and driving away existing ones, hindering Bluesky’s potential as a vibrant social network.
We respectfully urge the Bluesky team to take the following actions:
Suspend Disruptive Block Lists: Implement a review process to identify and disable lists that violate Bluesky’s community guidelines or are used to harass or exclude users unfairly.
Increase Transparency: Require creators of moderation lists to publish clear, objective criteria for inclusion and provide users with notification and appeal options if they are added to a list.
Strengthen Moderation Policies: Develop guidelines that prevent the misuse of block lists while preserving their legitimate use for protecting users from harassment, spam, or harmful content.
Empower Users: Enhance user controls to allow individuals to manage their own moderation preferences without relying on third-party lists that may not align with their values.
Bluesky has the potential to be a groundbreaking platform where diverse voices can connect and thrive. By addressing the misuse of block lists, the Bluesky team can ensure the platform remains a welcoming space for all users, free from arbitrary exclusion.
We stand together in support of a fair, transparent, and inclusive Bluesky. Please act swiftly to address this issue and uphold the platform’s mission of fostering open dialogue and community.
Sincerely,
We, the undersigned users of Bluesky
29 Comments
This is good to try to get looked into for improvement and change. A large problem is also a moderation setup that is easily abused by, for example, crybullies who act abusive toward others and have groups of followers who can mass report someone, and moderation is unresponsive and unhelpful.
The lists are ridiculous – we should at LEAST be able to be removed from a list when we block the creator.
SkywatchBlue puts me on moderation lists and I am tired of it. At least on Twitter you could block and get off the list
Lists should be centrally and properly moderated. The current free-for-all of open individual and community lists is a great concept that fails responsible use IRL. The community needs serious checks and balances not currently evident.
Many people I know have been put on block lists called porn and other heinous names and some have lost their accounts altogether. Please stop this practice. Thank you.
I would prefer that ALL lists and the entire list system be abandoned and replaced with proper self moderation tools (like the ability to remove followers you don't want following you)... but this is a good first step
I'm experiencing targeted harassment by someone I've never interacted with. I was put on a "Spammer" list and I've never solicited and I was put on a "Supports Sex Pest" list because I asked for an investigation for allegations of a public figure that I'm not involved with. It was an opinion.
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Petition to Remove Block Lists (Moderation Lists) Disrupting the Bluesky Social Platform
To the Bluesky Team and Community,
We, the undersigned users of Bluesky, call for the immediate review and removal of block lists (moderation lists) that are being misused to disrupt the platform’s open and inclusive environment. While moderation tools are essential for maintaining a safe online space, certain block lists have been weaponized to unfairly target, silence, and exclude individuals based on personal biases, disagreements, or arbitrary criteria, rather than addressing genuine harmful behavior.
These disruptive block lists undermine Bluesky’s core principles of fostering free expression, diverse perspectives, and authentic community engagement. They stifle constructive dialogue, and erode trust in the platform’s commitment to fairness. Specifically, we are concerned about:
Lack of Transparency: Many block lists operate without clear criteria or accountability, leaving users unaware of why they’ve been targeted or how to appeal.
Mass Blocking: Indiscriminate use of block lists to exclude large groups of users, often without evidence of wrongdoing, discourages participation and fragments the community.
Manipulation and Abuse: Some lists are curated to settle personal vendettas, rather than to address harassment or harmful content.
Impact on Platform Growth: Excessive reliance on block lists risks alienating new users and driving away existing ones, hindering Bluesky’s potential as a vibrant social network.
We respectfully urge the Bluesky team to take the following actions:
Suspend Disruptive Block Lists: Implement a review process to identify and disable lists that violate Bluesky’s community guidelines or are used to harass or exclude users unfairly.
Increase Transparency: Require creators of moderation lists to publish clear, objective criteria for inclusion and provide users with notification and appeal options if they are added to a list.
Strengthen Moderation Policies: Develop guidelines that prevent the misuse of block lists while preserving their legitimate use for protecting users from harassment, spam, or harmful content.
Empower Users: Enhance user controls to allow individuals to manage their own moderation preferences without relying on third-party lists that may not align with their values.
Bluesky has the potential to be a groundbreaking platform where diverse voices can connect and thrive. By addressing the misuse of block lists, the Bluesky team can ensure the platform remains a welcoming space for all users, free from arbitrary exclusion.
We stand together in support of a fair, transparent, and inclusive Bluesky. Please act swiftly to address this issue and uphold the platform’s mission of fostering open dialogue and community.
Sincerely,
We, the undersigned users of Bluesky
29 Comments
Too many bad actors have weaponized and abused moderation lists. Often the creators make themselves judge and jury and add you to inappropriate or malicious lists.
This is good to try to get looked into for improvement and change. A large problem is also a moderation setup that is easily abused by, for example, crybullies who act abusive toward others and have groups of followers who can mass report someone, and moderation is unresponsive and unhelpful.
The lists are ridiculous – we should at LEAST be able to be removed from a list when we block the creator.
SkywatchBlue puts me on moderation lists and I am tired of it. At least on Twitter you could block and get off the list
Lists should be centrally and properly moderated. The current free-for-all of open individual and community lists is a great concept that fails responsible use IRL. The community needs serious checks and balances not currently evident.
Many people I know have been put on block lists called porn and other heinous names and some have lost their accounts altogether. Please stop this practice. Thank you.
I would prefer that ALL lists and the entire list system be abandoned and replaced with proper self moderation tools (like the ability to remove followers you don't want following you)... but this is a good first step
I'm experiencing targeted harassment by someone I've never interacted with. I was put on a "Spammer" list and I've never solicited and I was put on a "Supports Sex Pest" list because I asked for an investigation for allegations of a public figure that I'm not involved with. It was an opinion.
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Too many bad actors have weaponized and abused moderation lists. Often the creators make themselves judge and jury and add you to inappropriate or malicious lists.