Bluesky Prepares for Election Day Amid Pro-Trump Endorsement by X

As Election Day in the United States approaches, social networking startup Bluesky is poised to demonstrate its platform as a more trusted and fact-checked alternative to Elon Musk’s X. With new capital influx, Bluesky aims to showcase its ability to handle potential misinformation that can mislead users during critical national events.

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Bluesky’s Leaning Left and the Influx of Disgruntled Twitter Users

While Elon Musk’s X is dominated by his support for the Trump campaign, Bluesky tends to lean left, thanks to an influx of disgruntled former Twitter users who don’t like the platform’s new direction. This leaning has allowed Bluesky to capitalize on the demand for a real-time social network that prioritizes discussions on politics.

Election Operations and Trust and Safety

To manage its election operations, Bluesky hired Aaron Rodericks, a notable former Twitter leader, as its head of Trust and Safety earlier this year. With experience in managing election safety at Twitter, where he co-led the Trust and Safety team, Rodericks is well-equipped to handle the challenges of election misinformation.

Preparations for Election Day

Bluesky’s Safety team has detailed their plans for election safety on the platform. To ensure users are informed about potential misinformation, Bluesky will label posts with misleading claims about voting, including those sharing incorrect requirements around voter ID or manipulated media. Additionally, emerging reports related to the election that can’t be immediately verified will be labeled as ‘unconfirmed’.

Decentralized Moderation and Customization

Bluesky’s decentralized promise is that anyone can run their own Bluesky server and moderation service. Users can also subscribe to multiple moderation services to customize their feed to their liking. This approach allows users to shape their online experience, unlike X and Threads, where moderation is handled solely by the business itself.

Expansion of Moderation Team

The Bluesky moderation team has been expanded with additional hires following two recent surges that brought more users to the service. While the company hasn’t disclosed the size of its moderation team today, CEO Jay Graber hinted at the team’s size in an interview with Nilay Patel’s Decoder podcast in March.

Election Safety and Moderation Plans

Bluesky has announced its plans for election safety, including reviewing content for potential misinformation and other unconfirmed reports and claims. The platform will also provide users with information about how to verify the accuracy of claims made on the platform.