Palestinians in Gaza who depend on online fundraising to get food, medicine, or other essentials are finding it harder to keep their accounts active. Bluesky, a social media platform that many use to reach potential donors, has been removing profiles linked to these campaigns within days of their creation. For people relying on the money to meet daily needs, losing an account means starting over almost immediately.
Some have opened dozens of profiles over a few months. Each time one is taken down, they rebuild from scratch, trying to reconnect with supporters who might have seen their earlier posts. That often means following large numbers of people in a short period or tagging past contacts in new posts, which makes the accounts look automated to Bluesky’s systems and increases the risk of another removal, as spotted by TheGuardian.
Grassroots Checks on Genuine Campaigns
In May last year, a volunteer based in Germany began informally confirming that certain Gaza-based fundraisers were real. The process started after she helped a contact raise money successfully and then began hearing from others in similar situations. Over time she kept a list of verified accounts, each allowed to use a small badge in their profile and posts to signal that someone had checked their identity.
Her vetting can involve a video call, a referral from someone she already trusts, or documents proving the person’s location and circumstances. While this reassurance helps donors feel more confident, it does not stop Bluesky’s automated filters from removing accounts. Many people still wait weeks for verification, and not everyone is approved.
Daily Costs and Scarce Supplies
The need for these campaigns is immediate. Aid groups say food shortages in Gaza have reached extreme levels, with families unable to secure even basic items. When flour, milk, or diapers are available, prices are far higher than before the blockade. A single day’s donations can make the difference between someone eating or going hungry.
Because payment processors do not operate in Gaza, fundraisers must rely on intermediaries abroad to run the campaigns and send the money. This requires complete trust in strangers, and some have lost significant amounts when a campaign host withheld part of the funds.
Pressure for Platform Changes
Similar verification groups exist on other platforms such as Instagram, X, and Tumblr. Yet even with confirmation from these networks, Bluesky’s systems often flag genuine campaigns as spam. More than 7,000 users have signed open letters urging the company to adjust its moderation rules for fundraising accounts linked to Gaza.
Bluesky has said it wants users in Gaza to be heard while following its guidelines. Those working with fundraisers report that appeals against account closures rarely get responses, and many profiles vanish within a few days of being set up. For people trying to raise enough to buy food for tomorrow, the loss of an account is not only a technical setback but also a break in the fragile connection to donors who might keep them alive.
Notes: This post was edited/created using GenAI tools. Image: DIW-Aigen.
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