Bluesky has become the latest—and perhaps most unexpected—platform to feel the ripple effects of Australia’s under-16s social media ban. In a move that surprised even close observers of the tech-policy space, the platform has begun enforcing age verification for all new users, despite not being explicitly required to do so under the current legislation.
Australia’s law, as written, applies to a defined list of ten platforms: Facebook, Instagram, Kick, Reddit, Snapchat, Threads, TikTok, Twitch, X, and YouTube. Bluesky is not on that list. At least, not yet. Nevertheless, new Bluesky users are now being required to complete age checks using Kids Web Services (KWS), a third-party verification provider. Accounts identified as belonging to users under 16 are being deactivated entirely. Users under 18 will lose access to adult content, and those between 16 and 18 will have direct messaging disabled.
In effect, Bluesky has chosen to preemptively comply with a regulatory regime it technically isn’t bound by. That decision stands out in an industry that usually does the opposite—resisting, delaying, or narrowly interpreting new rules until compliance becomes unavoidable.
The move is even more notable given Bluesky’s recent history. Earlier this year, the platform blocked access entirely for users in Mississippi in response to that state’s new age verification laws. That decision backfired spectacularly, triggering a spike in VPN usage and drawing attention to how easily geographic bans can be bypassed. Bluesky has since reversed that block, restoring access to Mississippi users, but without fully conceding the point. The company maintains that Mississippi’s law restricts free speech and disproportionately harms smaller platforms, and it has confirmed it will not comply with every requirement in detail.
That tension—between stated principles and pragmatic adaptation—now appears again in Australia.
While Bluesky tightens its onboarding process, Australian teens are not being pushed offline altogether. Platforms like WhatsApp, Discord, Roblox, and Pinterest remain available, meaning digital socialization continues, just in different forms. What has changed is the shape of the mainstream social media landscape, which is now being restructured around age gates, identity verification, and tiered access.
The transition hasn’t been abrupt. Meta began notifying suspected under-16 users on Facebook, Instagram, and Threads as early as December 4, offering appeals via government-issued ID or video selfies processed through its partner, Yoti. YouTube has followed a similar path, while Snapchat has partnered with digital identity firm k-ID. Reddit, despite strong objections, has also complied—blocking under-16 users while rolling out a modified experience for those under 18.
X, Kick, and Twitch remain less forthcoming, with no clear enforcement strategies publicly outlined.
Bluesky’s decision may ultimately be about future-proofing. Regulations rarely shrink, and platforms that wait to be named explicitly often find themselves scrambling later. By moving early, Bluesky avoids being singled out, even if it means accepting restrictions it once loudly opposed.
