This week, users on Bluesky were abuzz with excitement over rumors that far-right figures Laura Loomer, the anonymous X user “Catturd,” and Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) had been banned from the platform. However, a deeper look into the claims reveals that they’re simply not true. While many Bluesky users celebrated what they believed was a crackdown on far-right accounts, it turns out that the profiles in question were actually impersonation or scam accounts, not the genuine articles.
Laura Loomer and catturd joined Bluesky, and both got banned. I noticed the account below this morning and reported it. It now has also been banned! I think I’m going to like it there! It’s like a private social media beach for people who aren’t tumors. pic.twitter.com/ltoNXrh7XG
— Karl Mathews🌹⚡🌹 (@Cheezdhippt) November 12, 2024
Posts on X and Bluesky alike went viral with claims that these controversial figures had been “kicked off” the platform. “Marjorie Taylor Greene, Catturd, and Laura Loomer were all kicked off Bluesky today,” one X user declared, while another Bluesky user posted, “This made my ferking day,” celebrating what they thought was a ban.
Laura Loomer and Catturd tried to get accounts on here and were banned. 🤣🤣
This made my ferking day.
— Jodie 💙🇦🇺 (@jodiepp1948.bsky.social) November 11, 2024 at 7:55 PM
The Daily Dot dug deeper into the matter and reached out to the individuals involved. Loomer responded directly, confirming that she’s never attempted to create an account on Bluesky. Meanwhile, Bluesky representatives clarified that the accounts weren’t authentic and had been removed under the platform’s guidelines on impersonation and scams.
I’m very disappointed in Bluesky. They banned Catturd in 43 minutes, but took them over an hour to ban Laura Loomer.
— Blue Texan (@turntexasblue.bsky.social) November 11, 2024 at 4:29 PM
“We don’t typically comment on individual moderation cases, but the examples you mentioned were impersonation and/or scam accounts,” a Bluesky spokesperson told The Daily Dot. The spokesperson added that the removal of these accounts was part of Bluesky’s commitment to maintaining an authentic and respectful user base under its Community Guidelines.
Laura Loomer tried to create an account on Blue Sky and she got banned within 3 hours. THIS is why I am here haha
— Lady Scorpio (@voodoolady.bsky.social) November 10, 2024 at 9:10 PM
This episode highlights an interesting trend in social media: platforms like Bluesky are increasingly seen by some users as “safe spaces” free from the influence of polarizing political voices. Following Donald Trump’s recent election win and a corresponding influx of new users, Bluesky has become a go-to platform for those leaving X. While some left-leaning users saw the rumored bans as a signal that Bluesky might take a stricter stance on far-right content than other platforms, it appears that this celebration was a bit premature.
