Bluesky Blocks Mississippi Amid Mandatory Age Law
Social media startup Bluesky has decided to suspend its services in Mississippi following the state’s new HB 1126 law, which mandates age verification for all users before accessing social platforms. Bluesky stated that as a small team, it is not feasible for them to implement such technological changes, further noting that the law raises significant privacy concerns, according to TechCrunch.
On Thursday, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the law would go into effect despite an ongoing lawsuit challenging it. This created immediate pressure on Bluesky to comply with the regulation.
Bluesky explained that the law requires age verification not only for minors but for all users, and additionally mandates parental consent for users under 18. Non-compliance could result in fines of up to $10,000 per user.
The company further argued that “the law goes beyond protecting children and imposes sweeping restrictions on free expression, creating unnecessary barriers for smaller platforms and emerging technologies.”
This decision applies only to the protocol-based Bluesky app. Other apps built on the protocol may choose to make different decisions, the company clarified.
