Decentralized social network Mastodon says it cannot comply with age verification laws, like in Mississippi and elsewhere, and says it's up to individual server owners to decide.

Mastodon, the decentralized social network, stated it cannot comply with age verification laws like Mississippi’s recent legislation because it lacks the technical capability to do so[1]. While Mastodon’s software allows server administrators to specify a minimum age of 16 for sign-ups, the age-check data is not stored, and the nonprofit has no way to verify users’ ages[1:1].

The organization emphasizes that individual server owners must decide for themselves whether to implement age verification, noting that Mastodon was founded specifically “to allow different jurisdictions to have social media that is independent of the U.S.”[1:2]

This stance follows Bluesky’s decision to block service in Mississippi over similar age verification requirements[1:3]. Mastodon’s position highlights the unique challenges decentralized platforms face with regional compliance, as there is “nobody that can decide for the fediverse to block Mississippi,” according to Mastodon founder Eugen Rochko[1:4].

  1. TechCrunch - Mastodon says it doesn’t ‘have the means’ to comply with age verification laws ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎

  • Zerush@lemmy.mlOP
    3·
    23 hours ago

    Next you can’t go online without the web cam on, your ID card and a newspaper of the day visible in it, including an retina scan. Naturally to protect our childrens. Naturally accounts on any site only with full real name, direction, Phone, CC and social security number. Safety first.

    • infjarchninja@lemmy.ml
      3·
      9 hours ago

      Hey Zerush

      Safety first

      that sounds like hell to me.

      If that ever happened, I for certain would stop using the internet, cancel my broadband subscription, buy a dumb phone and act like a dim wit, who hasnt got a clue.

      You forgot about a compulsory little placard proclaiming the wonders of our political leader.

      Something like;

      I love The Rt Hon Sir Keir Starmer KCB KC MP.

      Now that is a muppet if I ever saw one.

      It could be a trumpian version of course for USA residenst.

      I love Big Don