Bluesky Blocks Mississippi IPs in Response to Age Verification Law

I. Bluesky's Decision

• People residing in Mississippi are now unable to utilize the social media platform Bluesky. On Friday, the company made an announcement that, for the foreseeable future, it will be blocking all IP addresses within Mississippi. This action comes as a response to a recent US Supreme Court decision, which permits the state to enforce stringent age - verification requirements for social media platforms.

II. Bluesky's Concerns

• Bluesky contends that Mississippi's approach to age verification "would fundamentally alter" the way users access its site. In a statement, the Bluesky team expressed, "We believe this law poses challenges that extend beyond its child - safety objectives. It creates substantial barriers that curtail free speech and disproportionately impacts smaller platforms and emerging technologies." Despite a request for comment, Bluesky did not respond.

III. Compliance Difficulties

• The company asserts that complying with Mississippi's law is unfeasible given its current team resources and infrastructure. The law mandates the identification and tracking of all users under 18, along with asking every user for sensitive personal information to verify their age. Non - compliance with this law could subject Bluesky to fines of up to $10,000 per violation. Bluesky is the first major social media platform to take such extreme measures in reaction to this legislation.

IV. Broader Impact of Age Verification Laws

• Age - verification laws, ostensibly designed to safeguard children from harmful online content, have already started to have a wide - reaching impact on internet use in regions where they have been implemented. In the UK, users seeking to access various content, from pornography to social platforms, must now submit to ID scans, credit card checks, age - estimation scans, etc., to prove they are over 18. In the US, the state of Texas has a similar law that the US Supreme Court upheld in June, notwithstanding critics' concerns about the erosion of free speech and access to information on the open internet.

V. Efficacy and Criticisms of Age Verification Laws

• The effectiveness of these laws in protecting children remains uncertain. In the UK, the use of virtual private networks (VPNs) surged immediately after the age - verification law came into effect, as users employed this technology to fake their location. On platforms like Discord, individuals discovered they could deceive face - scans using video - game characters. Moreover, critics argue that age - verification laws intended to mitigate harm to children can sometimes have the opposite effect, exposing kids to a higher risk of identity theft and privacy violations.

VI. Mississippi Representative's View

• Mississippi state representative Fabian Nelson, one of the original sponsors of the bill, told WIRED that the legislation "represents a crucial step towards ensuring that minors are protected through responsible and effective age - verification measures." Nelson believes that online service providers should bear the responsibility of adding safeguards to protect minors. He stated, "While concerns regarding privacy are valid, the Act advocates for the development of verification solutions that uphold user privacy while ensuring protection, thereby addressing safety without compromising individual rights." Acknowledging the potential challenges faced by smaller providers in complying with these standards, Nelson added, "I am optimistic that BlueSky and the State of Mississippi will reach an amicable agreement that effectively protects our most vulnerable citizens—our children."

VII. Response from Other Sponsors

• WIRED has attempted to contact the other sponsors of the original bill, Mississippi state representatives Jill Ford and Larry Byrd. As of yet, they have not provided any comments.

VIII. Bluesky's Stance on Child Safety Policies

• Bluesky wrote, "We believe effective child - safety policies should be carefully tailored to address real harms, without creating huge obstacles for smaller providers and resulting in negative consequences for free expression."

IX. Update

• Update, Monday August 25 at 11 am EDT: The story was revised to incorporate comments from Fabian Nelson.