Bluesky has announced that it will block access to its platform from Mississippi IP addresses in response to a newly enacted state law, HB 1126, which mandates age verification and parental consent for underage users. This decision, detailed in a blog post, will remain in effect until legal challenges to the law are resolved.
The blog post notes that Mississippi’s age-verification requirements differ significantly from those of other regions, such as the UK, where similar regulations do not impose an outright block on user access. Under HB 1126, both teens and adults in Mississippi would be unable to use the site unless they provide sensitive information. Furthermore, the law requires Bluesky to monitor which users are children. In contrast, the UK’s Online Safety Act allows for restricted access to certain platform features without imposing comprehensive verification responsibilities on the platform provider.
HB 1126 is part of a broader trend in the United States aiming to impose age restrictions on social media. However, many comparable laws have faced obstacles in the courts, often being deemed likely unconstitutional. The law in Mississippi received unexpected backing from the Supreme Court, which recently declined an emergency request to block its enforcement during ongoing legal challenges. Although the decision did not provide detailed reasoning, Justice Brett Kavanaugh’s concurring opinion acknowledged potential First Amendment violations but noted insufficient evidence of harm presented by the plaintiffs.
As a result, users attempting to access Bluesky from Mississippi without a VPN will encounter a notification regarding the platform’s decision. This measure specifically targets the Bluesky app, and other services using the decentralized AT Protocol are expected to make independent decisions regarding their access policies.
Bluesky has expressed its commitment to child safety and the creation of a social ecosystem that balances user protection with the preservation of choice and innovation, stating that updates will be provided as the situation evolves.
Source: https://www.theverge.com/internet-censorship/764697/bluesky-blocks-mississippi-age-verification-law