In an extensive campaign of disinformation, Russian hackers compromised numerous accounts on the Bluesky social media platform, leading to the removal of approximately 2,000 fraudulent posts. This wave of activity, which began in April, has been characterized by efforts to undermine support for Ukraine amid its ongoing conflict with Russia, according to a report by The New York Times.
The hackers targeted prominent individuals, including journalists and artists, to amplify their misleading narratives. A notable incident involved a video manipulated by artificial intelligence that falsely depicted a Canadian police official criticizing French President Emmanuel Macron. The Social Design Agency, based in Moscow, has been linked to this disinformation effort, as highlighted by Clemson University researchers.
Bluesky acknowledged the challenge of combating coordinated inauthentic campaigns, referring to it as an "industrywide problem." The company has since suspended several compromised accounts until users could initiate recovery procedures. One victim, reporter Pamela Wood, discovered her account had been hacked while on vacation, after witnessing its use for publishing a false narrative involving Ukraine and a past political event.