Bluesky Faces Backlash Over Violent Threats Following Charlie Kirk Shooting.A wave of violent threats targeted prominent Republican figures on the social platform Bluesky. This occurred after the fatal shooting of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk. The incident happened on Wednesday at Utah Valley University.Screenshots of the posts quickly circulated online. They showed users celebrating the violence and naming other potential targets. The platform has since removed dozens of violating comments.
Platform Users Target Musk, Trump, and Prominent Conservatives
According to The New York Post, users on Bluesky issued disturbing calls for further violence. They named specific individuals as potential targets. These figures included Tesla CEO Elon Musk and podcasters Ben Shapiro and Matt Walsh.Some posts also targeted former President Donald Trump. One user expressed a hope for another presidential assassination attempt. Author J.K. Rowling was also named in some of the threatening content.Ben Shapiro was a close friend of Charlie Kirk. He announced a planned college tour in response to the shooting. This decision was reported by The New York Post on Thursday.
Bluesky Issues Policy Warning Amid Content Moderation Scramble
Bluesky responded to the incident on Thursday. The platform stated that posts celebrating the killing violate its community guidelines. The New York Post confirmed the removal of dozens of hateful comments.Bluesky was founded by former Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey. It has grown as an alternative to Elon Musk’s X platform. The service currently reports 1.5 million daily active users.Other major platforms also took action. Meta, Reddit, and YouTube implemented content moderation measures. Their goal was to limit the spread of violent or celebratory content related to the tragedy.
The rapid spread of these Bluesky threats highlights ongoing challenges in moderating harmful content. Social platforms continue to struggle with balancing free speech and user safety. This event will likely intensify scrutiny on Bluesky’s policies and enforcement capabilities.
Info at your fingertips
What is Bluesky?
Bluesky is a decentralized social media platform. It was founded by former Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey as an alternative to X.
How did Bluesky respond to the threats?
The platform issued a warning that celebratory posts violate its guidelines. It confirmed the removal of dozens of hateful comments and replies.
Who was targeted in the posts?
Threats named Elon Musk, Ben Shapiro, Matt Walsh, Donald Trump, and J.K. Rowling. Users identified them as potential targets for violence.
Are other platforms moderating this content?
Yes. Major platforms like Meta, YouTube, and Reddit are also actively limiting the spread of violent content related to this event.
How many users does Bluesky have?
As of September 2025, Bluesky reports having 1.5 million daily active users. This data comes from the platform itself.
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