New age-recognition rule: Bluesky continues in Wyoming and South Dakota
After Bluesky withdrew from Mississippi, the short message service can remain elsewhere thanks to greater freedom in age verification.
(Image: Diego Thomazini/Shutterstock.com)
Bluesky can continue to be used in two US states despite an age verification requirement because the short messaging service considers it easier to implement than in Mississippi. While the social network had therefore withdrawn from Mississippi, it can still be used in South Dakota and Wyoming thanks to an adapted age verification procedure. Bluesky explained this in a blog post.
For this process, Bluesky uses Epic Games' Kids Web Services (KWS), which the games company also uses to carry out age checks for its platforms and games. KWS allows users from South Dakota and Wyoming to choose from several age verification methods, including payment cards, an identification document, an anonymous facial scan to assess age or other alternatives.
South Dakota and Wyoming allow better options
There is no uniform law on age verification in the USA, which is why the US states have to pass their own laws. In comparison, South Dakota and Wyoming allow better options than Mississippi, which is why Bluesky had to withdraw from the state, says the company. It would have consisted of a small team that would not have had the resources to make the extensive technical changes required by Mississippi law. This would have required verifying all users, not just those who want to access age-restricted content. In addition, parental consent would have to be obtained for users under the age of 18. Bluesky would have had to pay a fine of up to 10,000 US dollars per user if they did not comply with the requirements.
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Bluesky is pleased with the decision: "We believe this approach strikes the right balance at this time. Bluesky will continue to be available to users in these states, and we don't have to restrict the app for everyone," they explained in the blog post.
