- Bluesky has determined to exit Mississippi in response to the brand new age verification legislation
- Below the legislation, social media platforms have to confirm all customers' ages earlier than granting them entry
- Folks in Mississippi could possibly maintain accessing Bluesky by spoofing their IP tackle with a VPN
Bluesky has determined toexit Mississippi in response to the brand new age verification legislation, which now requires social media platforms to confirm the age of each person earlier than granting them entry.
Elon Musk's X rival warns that the brand new necessities "would essentially change how customers entry Bluesky," whereas opening as much as privateness and safety challenges that may influence smaller suppliers particularly.
Due to this fact, beginning Friday, August 22, 2025, Bluesky is obstructing all visitors from Mississippi IP addresses. This, nevertheless, implies that customers based mostly within the state could possibly flip to the most effective VPN companies to maintain utilizing the app.
"We don’t take this choice frivolously," wrote Bluesky in its official announcement, whereas making certain that youngster security stays a core precedence. But, "We expect this legislation creates challenges that transcend its youngster security targets, and creates important obstacles that restrict free speech and disproportionately hurt smaller platforms and rising applied sciences."
Being a decentralized platform, the block applies solely to the Bluesky app constructed on the AT Protocol. "Different apps and companies could select to reply in another way," explains the supplier.
Why is Bluesky anxious about Mississippi's age verification method?
The legislation additionally requires tech suppliers to determine and maintain observe of all teen and youngster customers. Fines for non-compliance can attain as much as $10,000 per person.
"Constructing the required verification programs, parental consent workflows, and compliance infrastructure would require important sources that our small workforce is presently unable to spare as we spend money on creating security instruments and options for our international neighborhood," explains Bluesky.
The financial burden is barely half of the story, although.
Bluesky can also be involved that the "legislation's broad scope" may have an effect on all residents in Mississippi (not solely minors) to make use of their favourite platforms, negatively impacting their proper to free speech and entry to info.
The supplier additionally warns towards the privateness implications that might stem from amassing and storing such delicate details about all customers, in addition to from monitoring minors on-line.
Sadly, Bluesky is unavailable in Mississippi proper now, attributable to a brand new state legislation that requires age verification for all customers. Whereas supposed for youngster security, we expect this legislation poses broader challenges & creates important obstacles that restrict free speech & hurt smaller platforms like ours.
— @bsky.app (@bsky.app.bsky.social) 2025-08-26T14:19:50.674Z
Age checks aren't the actual concern right here, both. Bluesky was certainly one of many first suppliers to implement age verification guidelines within the UK.
But, there's a considerable distinction between the 2 legal guidelines.
Below the UK On-line Security Act, Bluesky and related suppliers are required to confirm customers' age just for accessing content material deemed authorized however dangerous.
"Mississippi’s legislation, against this, would block everybody from accessing the location – teenagers and adults – except they hand over delicate info, and as soon as they do, the legislation in Mississippi requires Bluesky to maintain observe of which customers are youngsters," explains the supplier.
Can a VPN assist?
The Bluesky app is now set to dam entry to all Mississippi IP addresses "till authorized challenges to this legislation are resolved," explains the supplier.
A digital non-public community (VPN), nevertheless, may assist you to get again on-line. A VPN is safety software program that not solely encrypts all of your web connections but additionally spoofs your IP tackle by rerouting your visitors by way of one in all its worldwide servers.
Due to this fact, for those who're in Mississippi and need to maintain accessing Bluesky, all that you must do is hook up with a VPN server based mostly the place the app is on the market.
Bear in mind, although, to make use of solely dependable and safe companies to make sure your information stays secure. On the time of writing, NordVPN is TechRadar's high suggestion. In the event you aren't keen to pay for a subscription simply but, I recommend checking our greatest free VPNs information, with PrivadoVPN and Proton VPN being at the moment's high picks.
You may also like
- Digital ID Wallets: a safe resolution to age verification or one other privateness catastrophe?
- Age verification necessities have landed within the UK – how the web will change, and what about your privateness?
- From face scans to credit score checks: how UK age verification works and why it’s a privateness nightmare