Senator’s Suspension Ignites Social Media Free Speech Controversy

Vice President JD Vance’s brand new BlueSky account was mysteriously suspended just minutes after he joined. The ban, which was soon reinstated following a backlash, has drawn huge attention to Bluesky’s restrictive policies.

At a glance:

• Vice President JD Vance’s Bluesky account was suspended within 12 minutes of his first post
• Vance had commented on the Supreme Court’s ruling supporting Tennessee’s restrictions on transgender treatments for minors
• Bluesky claimed the suspension was due to an automated impersonation detection system, not his conservative views
• The platform quickly reinstated and verified his account after the controversy erupted
• The incident has fueled debate about free speech and alleged anti-conservative bias on social media platforms

Silenced in Minutes

Vice President JD Vance faced immediate censorship when he attempted to join the Twitter alternative Bluesky this week. His account was suspended a mere 12 minutes after posting his first message on the platform, which many conservatives have long suspected harbors anti-right wing bias.

Vance had originally announced his new Bluesky account on his X profile, writing “Just set up my page on @bluesky, hope to see you guys there!” The Vice President’s excitement about engaging with a new audience was quickly dampened by what appears to be yet another example of Big Tech’s hostility toward conservative voices.

Vice President JD Vance was permanently suspended from ‘Bluesky’ less than 20 minutes after making an account.

I’m sure it will replace 𝕏 in no time! pic.twitter.com/ml7MjPx4O7

— ALX (@alx) June 18, 2025

Conservative Views Targeted

In his first and only post before being suspended, Vance wrote: “Hello Bluesky, I’ve been told this app has become the place to go for common sense political discussion and analysis. So I’m thrilled to be here to engage with all of you.” This seemingly innocent introduction was followed by comments on Justice Clarence Thomas’s concurrence regarding medical care for transgender youth.

The timing of the suspension raised immediate red flags among conservatives, as it came directly after Vance expressed support for the Supreme Court’s ruling on Tennessee’s restrictions on transgender treatments for minors. Some Bluesky users reportedly rushed to report his post as “misinformation” simply for expressing a conservative viewpoint on the controversial topic.

Just set up my page on @bluesky, hope to see you guys there! pic.twitter.com/5cgjyMF8su

— JD Vance (@JDVance) June 18, 2025

Damage Control

After significant backlash, Bluesky quickly reinstated Vance’s account and attempted to explain away the suspension. A spokesperson for the platform claimed: “Vice President Vance’s account was briefly flagged by our automated systems that try to detect impersonation attempts which have targeted public figures like him in the past.”

The platform’s explanation has done little to ease concerns about Big Tech censorship. Vance has been a vocal critic of social media platforms for allegedly suppressing right-wing views, consistently describing freedom of speech as “a cornerstone of democracy” that must be protected from politically motivated censorship.

Bluesky, which gained significant popularity after Elon Musk’s acquisition of Twitter (now X), saw another spike in user growth following President Trump’s 2024 election victory. The platform has developed a reputation as a left-wing alternative to X, with many users fleeing to it specifically to avoid conservative perspectives.