Bluesky, a decentralized social network, has restricted access to 72 accounts in Turkey at the request of the Turkish government, sparking concerns about censorship and the platform's commitment to free expression. According to a report by the Freedom of Expression Association, 59 accounts were blocked for allegedly threatening "national security and public order," while 13 accounts and one post were made invisible to Turkish users.

The move has raised questions about Bluesky's claims of being an open and decentralized platform, with some users comparing it to Twitter, which has faced similar criticism for complying with government censorship requests. However, Bluesky's technical architecture provides a loophole that allows users to bypass these blocks through third-party apps on the ATmosphere network.

Unlike the official Bluesky app, which uses geographic labelers to apply regional restrictions, third-party apps like Skeets, Ouranos, Deer.social, and Skywalker do not have to implement these labelers, allowing users to access the restricted accounts. This is because Bluesky doesn't require third-party apps to use its geographic moderation labelers, which would force them to geolocate their users and apply regional restrictions.

However, this loophole is not without its limitations. App developers may not have intentionally chosen not to implement geographic labelers, and if these apps grow in popularity, governments like Turkey's could approach them and demand action. Moreover, if these apps fail to comply, they risk being blocked in the country.

In response to these concerns, developer Aviva Ruben is building an alternative Bluesky client called Deer.social, which allows users to disable Bluesky's official moderation service and labelers in favor of using other third-party labelers. The app also enables users to configure their location manually, avoiding geolocation-based blocks and censorship.

Ruben's efforts highlight the need for alternative ways to access and view Bluesky's data, especially as governments around the world increasingly request that social media platforms hide posts that are not necessarily illegal. As Bluesky's community prepares for a future where any government could request censorship, Ruben's Deer.social app offers a potential solution, including a "no location" option to avoid all geographic labelers.

Despite these loopholes, the fact remains that censorship has arrived at Bluesky, and the official app's compliance with the Turkish government's requests sets a worrying precedent. As the platform continues to grow, it will be crucial for users and developers to push for alternative solutions that prioritize free expression and resist government overreach.

In the end, Bluesky's experience serves as a reminder that even decentralized social networks are not immune to government censorship, and that constant vigilance is necessary to protect the open internet.