Bluesky shifts strategy on age checks: flexible verification keeps service live in South Dakota and Wyoming
After pausing its app in Mississippi due to a sweeping age-assurance law, the social networking startup is taking a different path in South Dakota and Wyoming. Instead of locking out unverified users, people in those states can confirm their age through Kids Web Services (KWS), allowing Bluesky to stay accessible while meeting local rules. The same solution also helps the platform align with the U.K.’s Online Safety Act.
KWS gives users several ways to verify their age, including:
– Payment card checks
– An identity document
– An anonymous face scan for age estimation
– Other approved alternatives
Bluesky says this approach balances safety and access, letting the app remain available without blanket restrictions on everyone in the state.
Mississippi’s law posed a different challenge. It would have required age verification for all users, not just those trying to access age-restricted content, and demanded parental consent for anyone under 18. The penalties are steep—up to $10,000 per user—and the startup’s small team said it didn’t have the resources to build the extensive technical changes the law required. That’s why the company chose to withdraw from Mississippi entirely, a move that risks ceding ground to larger social platforms with deeper compliance budgets.
Laws requiring age verification are multiplying across the United States and abroad. With no federal standard in place, states are writing their own rules—some more practical for smaller platforms than others. Privacy advocates warn that broad verification mandates can be invasive and increase the risk of identity theft, especially when they require collecting sensitive personal data.
What this means for users in South Dakota and Wyoming:
– The app stays available in both states.
– Users only verify age when needed, through a menu of options.
– The company aims to meet legal requirements without sweeping restrictions.
As more age-assurance laws roll out, platforms of all sizes will be watching which models strike the best balance between protecting young users, preserving privacy, and keeping social networks open and competitive.
