Bluesky has blocked access in Mississippi, citing privacy and free speech concerns over a new law requiring all social media users to undergo age verification with fines of up to $10,000 per violation.
So I’m curious. If this law is in play in Mississippi now, are Mississippians being prompted for their ID on Discord, Twitter, Facebook, Reddit etc? I would check myself but my VPN doesn’t have a Mississippi server.
If not, and they’re not bothering, then why is Bluesky reacting like this specifically?
I kinda wish the big companies would do the same and just block the states that pass these laws. Like, the state just loses access to a big chunk of the internet as soon as the bill passes, prompting an uproar and a learning opportunity for those lawmakers.
Obviously that’s probably unrealistic, but I can dream 🙂
Yeah but that’s a porn site, not Discord, Reddit, Instagram, X, etc.
A porn site is at least understandable. I mean, people have had to show ID to buy physical porn for years, so it’s at least not a new concept.
(I would never upload my PII in exchange for porn, but I can at least understand the logic.)
Bluesky likely doesn’t want to deal with the hassle and the percentage of users from the state that use it is so minimal they just don’t view it as worthwhile.
the “bigger-boys”, as you put it, are currently fighting it together on appeal in a lawsuit. once the appeal is finished, it will probably head to the supreme court, where Kavanaugh has said it will likely be found unconstitutional.
So I’m curious. If this law is in play in Mississippi now, are Mississippians being prompted for their ID on Discord, Twitter, Facebook, Reddit etc? I would check myself but my VPN doesn’t have a Mississippi server.
If not, and they’re not bothering, then why is Bluesky reacting like this specifically?
I kinda wish the big companies would do the same and just block the states that pass these laws. Like, the state just loses access to a big chunk of the internet as soon as the bill passes, prompting an uproar and a learning opportunity for those lawmakers.
Obviously that’s probably unrealistic, but I can dream 🙂
PornHub blocked us in Florida.
Yeah but that’s a porn site, not Discord, Reddit, Instagram, X, etc. A porn site is at least understandable. I mean, people have had to show ID to buy physical porn for years, so it’s at least not a new concept. (I would never upload my PII in exchange for porn, but I can at least understand the logic.)
Bluesky likely doesn’t want to deal with the hassle and the percentage of users from the state that use it is so minimal they just don’t view it as worthwhile.
I suppose it’s more me being curious about why the bigger-boys aren’t using age-ID there.
the “bigger-boys”, as you put it, are currently fighting it together on appeal in a lawsuit. once the appeal is finished, it will probably head to the supreme court, where Kavanaugh has said it will likely be found unconstitutional.
They can afford the fines?