Bluesky, a social networking startup, has opted to block access to its platform in Mississippi due to a new age assurance law. In a blog post, the company cited its limited resources and concerns about the law’s broad scope and privacy implications for its decision. Mississippi’s HB 1126 mandates age verification for all users of social networks. The U.S. Supreme Court declined to block the law from taking effect as legal challenges continue. To comply, Bluesky would need to verify every user’s age and obtain parental consent for those under 18, with penalties up to $10,000 per user for noncompliance. The law requires the collection and storage of sensitive information from all users, unlike other age verification laws like the U.K.’s OSA. Bluesky argues the law creates barriers to free speech and harms smaller platforms. Some users outside Mississippi experienced access issues due to network routing through the state. Bluesky stated that its decision affects only its app built on the AT Protocol, and other apps might respond differently. This updated post reflects issues reported by users outside Mississippi and Bluesky’s response. Fill out a survey for feedback on TechCrunch.
