Vice President JD Vance joined Bluesky this week. Within minutes, the platform suspended his account.
His first post referenced a Supreme Court opinion by Justice Clarence Thomas. It questioned medical procedures on children identifying as transgender. Vance called for “common sense political discussion.”
Bluesky pulled the account about 12 minutes later. They reversed course shortly after, restoring the account and verifying it.
The company blamed an automated system that flags suspected impostors. They said the suspension was not based on content.
That may be true; but it still highlights a deeper issue: conservatives often face faster, harsher penalties on social media.
BREAKING: Bluesky banned VP JD Vance 20 minutes after he joined the platform https://t.co/IogKOGE1F0 pic.twitter.com/3k4pYWeiop
— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) June 18, 2025
A Pattern of Censorship
Bluesky markets itself as decentralized and open, yet it relies on algorithms that reflect the same old biases.
Tech systems don’t write themselves. They reflect the views of those who build them.
Conservatives aren’t asking for protection. They’re asking for a level field.
Why It Matters
Tech companies now act as gatekeepers to public speech.
Most moderation is done by software without human review. That makes it easy for unpopular views to be buried or banned.
JD Vance was silenced before anyone looked at what he posted. That’s a system built to avoid controversy by targeting anyone who challenges the dominant view.
A Test of Principles
This incident is about more than one account. It’s about whether free speech survives in the digital square.
If algorithms punish people for quoting a Supreme Court opinion, we’re in dangerous territory.
Vance’s case may have been a mistake, but it was not random.
It’s time for better answers from tech companies. Americans deserve to know who writes the rules – and whether those rules apply fairly to everyone.
This article was written with the assistance of AI. Please verify information and consult additional sources as needed.
