"The social network Bluesky will begin verifying users' ages in the state of Ohio to comply with new regulations, starting on Monday, September 29. The company - which offers an open and decentralized competitor to X and Threads - says it will enable the Kids Web Services' (KWS) age verification solution in the state. This is the same solution that Bluesky is already using in South Dakota and Wyoming to comply with similar laws."
"KWS will provide the technical infrastructure that allows Bluesky to verify users' ages by offering multiple ways for them to do so beyond only uploading a government-issued identity document. According to its website, KWS also lets users verify by facial scans, payment cards, and more. Unfortunately for U.S. users, these age assurance laws aren't all written the same. One law that rolled out in Mississippi, which used poorly written and overly broad language, led Bluesky to suspend services in the state."
"The startup explained at the time that, as a small team, they didn't have the resources to make the substantial technical changes needed to comply. This left the state open to larger competitors, like Meta, which continues to dominate the social networking market. These legal requirements could ultimately hurt smaller startups like Bluesky, which are still working to gain traction under tech giant Meta's shadow."
Bluesky will begin verifying users' ages in Ohio on Monday, September 29 by enabling the Kids Web Services (KWS) age verification solution. Ohio law requires users to upload a government-issued photo ID or other personal identification before accessing adult content on social networks. KWS provides technical infrastructure and multiple verification methods, including facial scans and payment cards, beyond ID uploads. State-level age verification laws vary, causing compliance problems in some cases. A poorly written Mississippi law prompted Bluesky to suspend services there due to limited resources, which may advantage larger competitors and hinder smaller startups.
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