**Bluesky Blocks Mississippi Over Age Verification Law**
Bluesky, the social media platform, has taken action by blocking users in Mississippi following the enactment of a new state law that requires age verification for all social media users. According to the company’s blog post, users accessing the platform from Mississippi IP addresses will see a message explaining why the app is unavailable. The law, which seeks to ensure that users comply with age restrictions, mandates that all social media platforms, including Bluesky, verify users’ ages and obtain parental consent for those under 18. The potential penalties for non-compliance could be substantial, with fines of up to $10,000 per user.
The company expressed concerns about the financial and operational burden of implementing the required age verification infrastructure and the collection of sensitive personal data from all users. Bluesky highlighted that the law would require them to gather and store detailed information on minors, raising significant privacy and compliance issues. The company stated that the requirement to collect such data goes beyond what is necessary for age-restricted content and could lead to broader privacy concerns. They argued that the legal implications of the law may not align with the protections provided by the First Amendment, prompting them to suspend services in the state as a precaution.
The decision by Bluesky has not been without consequences. Some users outside of Mississippi reported difficulties in accessing the platform due to their cellular providers routing traffic through servers in the state. In response, Bluesky’s CTO, Paul Frazee, mentioned that the company is working on an update to improve the accuracy of location detection. This technical issue has led to additional challenges for users, as the company continues to adjust its systems to address the impact of the law.
The legal dispute surrounding the Mississippi law has also drawn attention from NetChoice, a trade association representing major tech companies. While a lower court initially blocked the law from taking effect pending litigation, an appeals court overturned that decision. Despite a pending Supreme Court case, the ruling by Justice Kavanaugh indicates the possibility that the law could be overturned in the future. NetChoice has argued that the law may be unconstitutional, as it could infringe on the First Amendment rights of tech companies. While the legal battle continues, Bluesky’s decision to block Mississippi highlights the tension between state regulation and private digital platforms.