Bluesky Blocks Access to Leaked DHS Employee Data

Bluesky has taken action to block users from accessing links to a leaked archive that contains sensitive information on over 41,000 employees and contractors from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), including those from ICE and CBP. The company labeled the pages as “malicious” due to the inclusion of personal contact information shared without authorization.

The leaked files, released by the nonprofit organization Distributed Denial of Secrets, detail the names, email addresses, and phone numbers of DHS personnel, along with their affiliations to internal groups, some of which are linked to surveillance and undercover operations. Bluesky stated that it opted to block the links rather than delete individual posts to maintain public discourse and access to reporting.

When users attempt to access the archive through Bluesky’s platform, they encounter a warning indicating that the URL has been identified as “malicious”. The company has not clarified whether this block was implemented automatically or in response to any government request.

Despite Bluesky’s restrictions, the DDoSecrets homepage remains accessible, and at least one third-party application, Klearsky, allows users to access the DHS archive without any warnings.

Bluesky’s community guidelines prohibit sharing personal information such as home addresses and contact details, emphasizing the protection of factual reporting related to public interest and government transparency. The guidelines were reportedly violated by the leaked DHS records, which included work-related contact information.

Founded in 2019 as a research project for Twitter, Bluesky became independent and opened to the public in February 2024. As of August 2026, it had approximately 45 million registered accounts, with an estimated 10.4 million active users. The platform operates on an open protocol, allowing developers to create their own applications and choose moderation labels.

Emma Best, cofounder of DDoSecrets, noted that this is not the first instance of a social media platform mislabeling their organization’s website as malicious. She highlighted that tech platforms often yield to government pressure but cannot entirely suppress the dissemination of information.

The archive, referred to as “Icepick,” was provided to DDoSecrets by a group called the Department of Peace. Journalist maia arson crimew also created a searchable website for the records, which Bluesky has blocked.

In contrast, Bluesky’s competitor, X, has taken a different approach by directing users to the Icepick website through its Grok chatbot, describing it as a useful tool for accessing the complete dataset.

Source: WIRED