Bluesky lets people use moderation lists to mute or block groups of accounts. A list can make a noisy feed easier to manage, but its privacy model matters: Bluesky says the list itself is public, while your decision to mute or subscribe to it is private. A list is a tool for your own experience, not a factual verdict on every account it contains.
Mute, block, and list: the important distinction
Muting reduces what you see from an account and does not notify that account. Blocking prevents interaction in more ways and is publicly visible on the network. A moderation list groups accounts so an action can be applied to the group; it differs from a starter pack or a curated follow list.
Bluesky's own FAQ states that mute-list subscriptions are private but moderation lists are public. That corrects a common misunderstanding: naming a list 'private' does not make its membership secret. Do not put sensitive assumptions, accusations, or personal information in a list title, description, or membership.
Create or use a moderation list
Bluesky's moderation model allows communities to share lists, but a large list maintained by someone else may contain errors or change over time. Use the same care you would apply to any third-party filter. If one account is the issue, an individual mute may be simpler and more proportionate.
- Open the current Bluesky app and look for moderation settings and moderation lists; interface labels can change.
- Create a moderation list with a neutral, descriptive name and add only accounts relevant to the purpose.
- Choose whether you want to mute the list or block it; these are different actions.
- For an existing public list, inspect its creator, description, and current members before subscribing or applying it.
- Review the list periodically and undo the action if it no longer serves your needs.
Use lists responsibly
Do not present a list as proof that everyone on it broke a rule. People may be added through mistake, disagreement, or abuse of the feature. Bluesky has described moderation of toxic list names and descriptions, and offers reporting for harmful behavior. A list you create can affect other users who subscribe to it, so check membership and wording before sharing it.
For a brand account, give staff a clear moderation policy: which behavior warrants muting or blocking, who approves a shared list, and how to review mistakes. Moderation should protect the conversation without hiding legitimate service questions or factual criticism.
Know what the tool cannot do
A mute list is not a private-account setting, a content-removal request, or a substitute for reporting abuse. It changes the view for people who apply it; it does not erase public posts from the network. If a post raises a safety issue or violates platform rules, use the reporting process and any appropriate real-world support channel.
Because social products evolve, check Bluesky's current help and in-app labels before following an older screenshot. The key privacy distinction remains the one documented by Bluesky: list visibility and subscription visibility are not the same thing.