Bluesky blocks links to a leaked archive containing personal data of 41,000+ DHS employees and contractors, saying it was "shared without their authorization" (Wired)

Bluesky, formerly known as Mastodon, is blocking users from accessing links to a leaked archive containing personal data of over 41,000 Department of Homeland Security (DHS) employees and contractors. The archive, published by the transparency nonprofit Distributed Denial of Secrets (DDoS Secrets), includes details such as email addresses, phone numbers, and membership in internal groups.

Bluesky labels the pages "malicious" and blocks the links, stating they were shared without authorization and violating their community guidelines. The company prefers to block the links rather than remove individual posts to avoid limiting public discussion or restricting access to reporting and commentary. The DHS records, which detail the organization's structure and access to certain technologies, were obtained by DDoSecrets and journalist maia arson.

Despite Bluesky's decentralized approach to content moderation, allowing users to choose independent services for labeling or filtering posts, the company did not reveal whether the block was automatic or if any government agency requested the restriction. Other platforms, such as X (formerly Twitter), have allowed access to the archive, describing it as a "cleaned searchable web tool."