It, uh, appears likely that essentially everyone who operates a web site that uses email addresses is now exposed to legal risk under #HB1126. There are narrow carve-outs in the bill for e.g. sports and news services. However, from talking with the lawyers, it seems likely that most Fediverse admins are in the same boat here: you'll have to weigh the likelihood of a lawsuit against breaking service for some of your users.

Argh.

Never heard back from anyone on the technology committee, or the ACLU or bar, about how sites should comply with #HB1126. Followed up this morning by working down the Mississippi House roster, calling each representative who voted for the bill to ask how they envisioned small sites like ours handling the age verification requirement. A lot of dead numbers, but after a few dozen calls, I'd left a few voice messages and got a promise of an email response from Barnett.

https://www.legislature.ms.gov/legislators/house-roster/

The governor's office also declined to talk about #HB1126, but they, and the Legislative Reference Bureau both suggested writing to various representatives directly, in the hopes that one might answer. Here's my letter. https://blog.woof.group/announcements/letter-to-the-mississippi-house-technology-committee-regarding-2024-hb-1126

#admin

BlueSky blocked Mississippi because #HB1126 would force them to age-gate everyone.

Why should fediverse instances escape that same fate? Decentralization isn’t immunity.