Permanently banned from Bluesky?

Updated 21 October 2026

Why acting early matters: Bluesky's terms say you must appeal within two weeks of the suspension, termination or restriction. Late appeals, or appeals without enough detail, may not be reviewed. The longer an account is down, the more followers, customers and conversations move on. See what is at stake

If Bluesky says your account is permanently suspended, it means Bluesky does not plan to restore it on its own. It does not take away your rights. Appeal within two weeks, as Bluesky's terms require. If you live in the EU, you can also take the decision to a certified dispute body, ask for your data and go to court.

What "permanent" means on Bluesky

Bluesky's 2025 transparency report describes two ways to a permanent ban:

• Strikes add up. Suspensions get longer with each violation until the account is banned.
• One very serious violation. The report says the most critical violations lead to permanent removal on the first offense.

Bluesky's terms also let it end an account without notice if it thinks your access poses a risk to Bluesky, other users or third parties.

"Permanent" is a label for Bluesky's decision, not a legal category. Bluesky says successful appeals undo the action. The AT Protocol spec, which Bluesky publishes, says takedowns can still be reverted. The law gives you ways to challenge the decision, whatever it is called.

A warning is not a ban

The Bluesky app can show "Your account is at risk of permanent suspension". That means your record carries enough strikes that one more could end the account. This is the moment to act:

• Appeal any earlier strike you think was wrong, while you still can.
• Read the Community Guidelines for each rule you were flagged for.
• Slow down on the kind of posts that got flagged.

What you can still do

1. Appeal within two weeks. Bluesky's terms cover terminations too. Use the appeal button in the app or email [email protected]. Give detail: which posts, what they meant, which strikes you think were wrong.
2. Ask for clear reasons. If you live in the EU, the Digital Services Act says Bluesky must give you a clear and specific statement of reasons: the facts, the rule, whether automated tools were used and how to challenge it. A permanent ban built on strikes should name each one.
3. Go to a dispute body. Bluesky's terms say EU users can pick any certified body and that Bluesky will engage in good faith. No body names Bluesky yet, so ask a general body first. The dispute body finder helps. The body decides within 90 days of your complete complaint.
4. Get your data. Under the GDPR, email [email protected] for a free copy of your personal data. Bluesky's terms say data of a terminated account is kept only as needed for trust and safety, legal or other legitimate reasons, so ask soon.
5. Court stays open.

The DSA sets at least six months for internal appeals on platforms it covers, but Bluesky's terms say two weeks. Appeal within two weeks to be safe. You can still use the EU steps after that.

If you live outside the EU

The EU steps don't cover you, and that includes Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein and the UK. Your route is the appeal in the app or by email, within two weeks. Save your posts and contacts wherever you still can.

Keep what you can

• Write down the people and communities you followed, from memory or old screenshots.
• If you used a custom domain handle, keep the domain. It is yours, not Bluesky's.
• Tell your contacts elsewhere how to reach you, without posting through a new Bluesky account.

What not to do

• Don't create a new account. It is likely to be treated as evading the ban.
• Don't pay anyone who claims they can lift a permanent ban.
• Don't send many angry emails. One clear appeal works better.

If the appeal was already turned down, read Bluesky appeal denied. If you think the strikes were mistakes, read Bluesky ban by mistake. The Bluesky hub covers every problem.