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Bluesky issues its first transparency report, noting rise in user reports andlegal demands
Bluesky released its first transparency report revealing user growth of 60% in 2025 to 41.2 million users, alongside a rise in user reports and legal demands, with a fivefold increase in legal requests. User reports increased 54% to nearly 10 million, primarily targeting spam and harassment. The report highlights moderation efforts with automation and enforcement interventions including significant account removals.
Key points
- Bluesky released its first transparency report in 2025.
- User base grew from 25.9 million to 41.2 million, a 60% increase.
- 1.41 billion posts made in 2025, 61% of total posts.
- 5-fold increase in legal requests (1,470) from 2024 (238 requests).
- User reports rose 54% (from 6.48 million to 9.97 million) in 2025.
- Top user report categories: 43.73% misleading (including spam), 19.93% harassment, 13.54% sexual content.
- Automated systems flagged 2.54 million potential violations.
- Bluesky took down 2.44 million items, a significant increase from the previous year.
Why it matters
- Reflects industry trends towards enhanced transparency and user safety in social media.
- Similar to transparency initiatives by other social platforms like Meta and X.
- User report and moderation increases could indicate both a growing platform and rising content challenges.
- Bluesky's approach coincides with increasing scrutiny on big tech regarding content moderation and data handling.
- Contextualizes ongoing discussions around regulatory frameworks for social media platforms.
Bluesky's transparency report underscores its rapid growth and challenges in content moderation, highlighting the platform's commitment to safety and transparency amid rising scrutiny and user demands.