Bluesky Starts Mandatory Age Verification For Users In Ohio

JAKARTA Bluesky, a platform developed by Twitter founders, has begun requiring age verification for all users in Ohio. This policy will take effect on Monday, September 29.

Ohio recently required age verification across social networks to protect children from pornographic content. If users want to access content that falls into the adult category, they need to prove their age first.

As announced in its official blog, Bluesky activated an age verification solution called Kids Web Services (KWS). This technical solution was used previously in South Dakota and Wyoming to comply with similar age verification regulations.

KWS will provide technical infrastructure that allows Bluesky to verify the user's age in various ways. This option is not limited to uploading photo identity card copies.

The KWS website records they can verify ages through facial scanning, payment cards, and more. That way, users have verification options other than using identity cards.

Although this verification solution has been used in several countries, not all US states have similar verification laws. Therefore, its implementation is also a challenge for Bluesky.

For example like Mississippi. Bluesky was forced to withdraw its services from the country because they lacked resources to make the substantial technical changes needed to comply with the rules.

This age verification obligation is indeed risky, especially for small startups like Bluesky. When they have to follow the policies implemented by a number of countries, they also have to struggle to attract more users in various parts of the world.