Bluesky Rolls Out Age Verification For Users In Ohio
Bluesky rolls out age verification for users in Ohio this week, marking its latest step to comply with state-specific online safety laws. The decentralized social network, often compared to X and Threads, confirmed the rollout via its Bluesky Safety account and an update to last month’s blog post.
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The move comes as Ohio joins other states like South Dakota and Wyoming in enforcing stricter online safety regulations. Starting September 29, users in Ohio must verify their age before accessing certain types of adult content on the platform.
Why Bluesky Is Adding Age Verification In Ohio
The decision is directly tied to Ohio’s new law aimed at protecting children from harmful online content, including pornography. To comply, Bluesky will require Ohio-based users to submit proof of age through Kids Web Services (KWS), the company’s chosen verification partner.
KWS provides multiple ways to verify age, ranging from government-issued photo IDs to alternative methods like payment cards or facial recognition scans. This flexibility may ease concerns among users wary of sharing sensitive documents online.
How The Law Impacts Bluesky Users
For users in Ohio, the law means that accessing adult content on Bluesky now requires additional verification steps. Those who cannot or choose not to verify their age may lose access to restricted parts of the platform.
While designed to protect minors, these rules raise broader questions about digital privacy and how platforms handle personal identification data. Bluesky has stressed that its partnership with KWS prioritizes user security and compliance.
A Growing Trend Across The U.S.
Bluesky’s move in Ohio is part of a growing wave of state-level age verification laws across the U.S. In the absence of federal regulation, states are creating their own rules—forcing platforms like Bluesky to adopt piecemeal compliance strategies.
For now, Bluesky users in Ohio, South Dakota, and Wyoming must adjust to stricter requirements. Other states are expected to follow, signaling that more U.S. users could soon face similar verification processes.
As Bluesky rolls out age verification for users in Ohio, the platform is walking a fine line between compliance and user trust. While the new law aims to safeguard children, it also sparks debates about privacy, accessibility, and the future of decentralized social networks.
Bluesky’s next challenge will be ensuring smooth implementation while maintaining transparency with its growing user base.
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