Bluesky takes on X with verified handles and increased moderation

Bluesky said that parody or satirical accounts must be clearly marked [File]
| Photo Credit: AP

Bluesky, the Twitter-turned-X rival that has added millions of users in recent weeks, said it was working on measures to verify accounts and combat harmful content as it deals with the rising number of users.

In a Bluesky thread posted on November 30, the social media firm said that it was working with organisations and high-profile individuals to help them verify their accounts.

The social media company that was the brainchild of Twitter co-founder and former CEO Jack Dorsey also noted that handles meant to “squat” on domain names or impersonate others would be removed.

However, parody and satirical accounts will be allowed as long as they are clearly marked to reflect their identity.

In addition, Bluesky said that it had quadrupled the size of its moderation team to take action against impersonation reports and deal with a pending backlog of moderation reports.

A number of X users have migrated to Bluesky or use their accounts on both platforms in order to expand their reach as the Elon Musk-owned company is hit with complaints over misinformation and hate speech.

On the other hand, Bluesky has faced criticism for allegedly downgrading Palestinian voices and graphic accounts of wartime violence.

“We also hear your feedback: users want more ways to verify their identity beyond domain verification. We’re exploring additional options to enhance account verification, and we hope to share more shortly,” said Bluesky in its post.