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Bluesky, the decentralized social network, has released its 2024 moderation report, offering a glimpse into the challenges and triumphs of a platform experiencing explosive growth. While the report highlights the company's efforts to combat harassment and misinformation, it also underscores the immense pressure placed on its moderation team as millions of users flocked to the platform, particularly amidst turmoil at Twitter/X.

A Year of Explosive Growth

2024 proved to be a year of unprecedented growth for Bluesky. The platform welcomed over 23 million new users, driven by a confluence of factors:

• X's Evolving Landscape: Changes at X, such as alterations to blocking functionality and the controversial use of user data for AI training, alienated many users who sought alternatives.

• Political Turmoil: The 2024 U.S. presidential election saw a significant shift in X's content moderation policies, leading to an exodus of users who felt their voices were being suppressed.

• The Brazil Ban: The temporary ban of X in Brazil in September 2024 further fueled the influx of users seeking a less restrictive social media environment.

This rapid growth presented Bluesky with both exciting opportunities and significant challenges. The platform's moderation team, tasked with ensuring a safe and inclusive environment for all users, faced a surge in reports, demanding a swift and effective response.

Scaling Moderation Efforts

To address the increased workload, Bluesky undertook several key initiatives:

• Team Expansion: The moderation team was significantly expanded, with the company adding approximately 100 new moderators to its ranks.

• Prioritizing Well-being: Recognizing the emotionally demanding nature of the work, Bluesky began offering its moderation team access to psychological counseling services. This proactive measure aimed to support the mental health of team members who are constantly exposed to potentially disturbing content.

• Automation Initiatives: The company implemented automation for a wider range of report categories beyond spam, aiming to streamline the moderation process and reduce response times. While automation proved effective in processing high-certainty accounts within seconds, it also introduced the challenge of false positives, requiring human oversight to ensure accuracy.

• Improving User Experience: Bluesky introduced in-app reporting, enabling users to easily track the status of their reports and submit appeals directly within the platform.

Key Moderation Statistics

The report revealed some key figures:

• A 17x Increase in Reports: In 2024, Bluesky received 6.48 million moderation reports, a staggering 17-fold increase compared to the 358,000 reports received in 2023.

• Harassment and Trolling Remain Top Concerns: The majority of reports focused on anti-social behavior, including harassment, trolling, and intolerance, reflecting user desires for a less toxic social media experience.

• Increased Automation: While automation helped reduce processing times, it also led to a rise in false positives, requiring human intervention to rectify erroneous decisions.

• User Engagement: 4.57% of active Bluesky users submitted at least one moderation report in 2024, demonstrating a proactive approach to maintaining a safe and inclusive community.

Addressing Specific Report Categories

The report detailed the distribution of reports across various categories:

• Misleading Content: 1.20 million reports related to misleading content, including impersonation, misinformation, and false claims about identity or affiliations.

• Spam: 1.40 million reports were filed for spam, such as excessive mentions, replies, or repetitive content.

• Unwanted Sexual Content: 630,000 reports concerned nudity or adult content that was not properly labeled.

• Illegal or Urgent Issues: 933,000 reports addressed violations of the law or Bluesky's terms of service.

• Other: 726,000 reports fell into other categories not specifically outlined above.

Labeling and Appeals

Labeling Efforts: Human labelers added numerous labels to posts and accounts, including "sexual figure," "rude," "spam," "intolerant," and "threat."

Appeals: 93,076 users submitted a total of 205,000 appeals regarding moderation decisions, underscoring the importance of a robust appeals process.

Account Actions

Account Takedowns: Moderators initiated 93,076 account takedowns, while automated systems triggered an additional 35,842 takedowns.

Law Enforcement Requests: Bluesky received 238 requests from law enforcement, governments, and legal firms, responding to 182 requests and complying with 146 of them.

Child Safety

Bluesky emphasized its commitment to child safety, reporting 1,154 confirmed reports of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC).

Challenges and Considerations

While Bluesky has made significant strides in addressing the challenges of rapid growth, several key considerations remain:

• Balancing Free Speech with Community Safety: Striking the right balance between protecting free speech and ensuring a safe and inclusive environment for all users is a complex and ongoing challenge.

• Addressing the Emotional Toll on Moderators: Despite the provision of counseling services, the emotional impact of constantly reviewing potentially disturbing content on moderation team members cannot be underestimated.

• The Role of AI: While AI can play a valuable role in automating certain aspects of moderation, it is crucial to address the limitations of AI, such as the potential for bias and the risk of false positives.

• Transparency and Accountability: Maintaining transparency in moderation decisions and providing clear avenues for appeals is essential for building trust and fostering a sense of fairness within the Bluesky community.

Looking Ahead

Bluesky's 2024 moderation report provides valuable insights into the challenges and successes of a rapidly growing social network. As the platform continues to evolve, ongoing efforts to refine moderation practices, prioritize user well-being, and leverage technology responsibly will be crucial in ensuring a safe, inclusive, and thriving community for all.