Bluesky: Moderation With Care

Bluesky offers the ability to moderate your timeline. These include:

• Muting a user: You will no longer see that user’s posts. However, the user can still see your posts and can follow you.
• Blocking a user: Here too, you will no longer see that user’s posts. But the user also won’t be able to see your posts, even if it follows you.

Moderating Bluesky users is an important tool for keeping your timeline free of unwanted content. However, you should use these tools with care and, if possible, always make your own decisions.

Block recommendations or entire moderation lists often circulate. However, I believe you shouldn’t simply adopt these for your own profile without at least checking them: Who is making these recommendations, and are they trustworthy?

I rarely, if ever, adopt moderation lists outright. The user providing them can expand or remove accounts from the list without you noticing.

Disadvantages of adopting moderation recommendations without checking:

• The user suggesting the block may have a completely different view of which users should be moderated.
• Users that don’t align with your opinions may still have viewpoints worth discussing. These users may then also be unable to see your posts and opinions, preventing any exchange or discussion.
• Creating your own bubble: If you block all users that hold differing opinions, you’ll eventually end up with a distorted view of opinions because you’ve shielded yourself. You’ll be living in your own bubble — and that’s something you should define for yourself, not leave to others.

I think it’s best to define your own red lines for users you don’t want to see in your timeline. Don’t rely on others’ opinions here. If a user appears in your timeline that you truly don’t want to see, simply mute that user. If someone follows you and/or you don’t want the user to see your posts, then block the user.

Generally, this self-maintained moderation isn’t time-consuming and is far better than relying on others’ opinions — people you may not even know.

It can be helpful to review your own blocks and mutes from time to time. Perhaps your views on certain topics have changed.