Bluesky users in Mississippi woke up to find they could no longer use the app. The social media platform, founded by Twitter’s Jack Dorsey, pulled the plug after refusing to comply with the state’s new age verification law, HB 1126.
Bluesky explained that the law would “fundamentally change how users access Bluesky” and raised serious concerns about free speech and privacy.
Why Bluesky Is Pushing Back
In a blog post, the company said, “We think this law creates challenges that go beyond its child safety goals, and creates significant barriers that limit free speech and disproportionately harm smaller platforms and emerging technologies.”
Bluesky added that while protecting kids online is important, the new rules could end up making it harder for smaller companies to operate.
The post continued, “Child safety is a core priority, and in this evolving regulatory landscape, we remain committed to building an open social ecosystem that protects users while preserving choice and innovation.”
Different Rules in Different Places
Interestingly, Bluesky already follows age-related laws in other countries, including the UK’s Online Safety Act. That law only requires age checks when users try to access adult content. Mississippi’s HB 1126 goes much further by demanding age verification for all users, no matter what content they’re viewing.
According to Bluesky, meeting that requirement would mean building entirely new infrastructure and compliance systems – something its relatively small team simply can’t handle.
Users Outside Mississippi Caught in the Middle
The block wasn’t just limited to people in Mississippi. Some users in other states also lost access because their cell providers routed traffic through Mississippi. Bluesky’s chief technology officer, Paul Frazee, said the team was already “working to deploy an update to our location detection” to sort things out.
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