Bluesky is rolling out age verification in the UK

20 donohoe 26 7/10/2025, 9:15:33 PM theverge.com ↗

Comments (26)

omoikane · 18h ago
Original blog post: https://bsky.social/about/blog/07-10-2025-age-assurance

I was looking for more details on who is considered in-scope, e.g. if the determination is decided at account creation time or at content access time. Especially considering how the AT protocol is a decentralized protocol that is not exclusive to a single region, it's not obvious how the enforcement will work.

pfraze · 17h ago
Enforcement occurs at the application level. You can think of applications as analogous to search engines. They're aggregating view layers (which is why they're called AppViews). They are largely where moderation or regulatory requirements are enforced.
skybrian · 14h ago
What alternative AppViews are there? Anyone know?
moonlion_eth · 13h ago
deer.social zeppelin.social
fsflover · 8h ago
Can't alternative applications avoid/fake this verification? Otherwise doesn't it imply no real decentralization?
skybrian · 18h ago
I poked around in the Bluesky repos [1] to figure out where the source code is for this feature, but didn't find it. Anyone know?

[1] https://github.com/bluesky-social

verdverm · 17h ago
skybrian · 14h ago
Thanks!
r721 · 12h ago
chrisjj · 18h ago
> the platform says it will let users verify their age by scanning their face

Seriously?

gs17 · 17h ago
Multiple platforms have had that an an option. It's really odd as a concept to me, does it only work for very obvious cases and for people around 18-30 ask for an ID anyways?
brikym · 17h ago
Error: 403 - Account holder's testicles have not sufficiently descended.
goku12 · 15h ago
How do you determine that from a face scan?
donohoe · 3h ago
Easy, reflected images in the eyes
verdverm · 18h ago
From the first paragraph

> the platform says it will let users verify their age by scanning their face, uploading an ID, or entering a payment card.

Note the "or"

cebert · 18h ago
I am willing to give up all my civil liberties if it’s for the kids…
bradac56 · 18h ago
You do not have 'civil liberties' in the UK. There is no Miranda rights and there bill of rights is strictly based on the Magna Carta and is not as comprehensive and the US Bill of Rights which was based off of the UK version.

Per the wiki:

Civil liberties have been gradually declining in the United Kingdom since the late 20th century. Their removal has been generally justified by appeals to public safety and National Security and hastened on by crises such as the September 11 attacks, the 7/7 bombings and the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic.[4][5][6] The pandemic oversaw the introduction of the Coronavirus Act 2020, which was described by former Justice of the Supreme Court Lord Sumption as "the greatest invasion of personal liberty in [the UK's] history."

goku12 · 15h ago
> The pandemic oversaw the introduction of the Coronavirus Act 2020, which was described by former Justice of the Supreme Court Lord Sumption as "the greatest invasion of personal liberty in [the UK's] history."

It's these sort of transgressions that make people hesitant or opposed to lifesaving interventions like mass vaccination campaigns and pandemic-time mask mandates. If you give an inch in the name of safety, you'll end up giving a mile permanently in terms of freedom.

brikym · 17h ago
Of course it's in the UK. I'm surprised they don't have an internet licence yet but I'm sure it's coming.