Vice President JD Vance faced a brief suspension from the social media platform Bluesky shortly after he joined. This incident occurred on Wednesday evening, just an hour after Vance created his account. However, his account was reinstated within 20 minutes.
Bluesky, which has attracted many users from the platform X, explained that Vance’s account was flagged by their automated systems. The company noted that there had been previous attempts to impersonate Vance, prompting the temporary suspension. After the account was restored, Bluesky added a verification badge to confirm the authenticity of Vance’s profile.
Vance made his first post at 4:50 p.m., expressing his excitement about joining Bluesky for political discussions. He stated, "Hello Bluesky, I’ve been told this app has become the place to go for common sense political discussion and analysis."
In his initial posts, Vance shared a screenshot of a Supreme Court ruling related to a Tennessee law that bans sex change surgeries for minors. He highlighted Justice Clarence Thomas’s concurring opinion, which criticized those challenging the law for relying on questionable evidence. Vance remarked that many experts had used poor arguments to promote experimental treatments for youth.
The suspension of his account sparked reactions online, particularly among conservative commentators who saw it as evidence of censorship. Some criticized Bluesky for its rapid response to Vance’s posts, suggesting it reflects a broader issue of free speech on social media platforms.
Even critics of Vance, like liberal reporter Billy Binion, expressed concern over the suspension, arguing that it undermines serious debate. He stated that excluding voices from outside the progressive sphere would ultimately harm the platform’s credibility.
Vance’s brief suspension highlights the ongoing tensions in social media regarding political discourse and the challenges platforms face in moderating content. As he continues to engage with users on Bluesky, it remains to be seen how this will affect his political presence and the platform’s reputation.