Lawmakers Want to Ban VPNs–and They Have No Idea What They're Doing
9 days ago
- #VPN
- #censorship
- #privacy
- Wisconsin lawmakers are proposing a bill (A.B. 105/S.B. 130) to ban VPNs to enforce age verification laws, claiming it's for 'protecting children.'
- The bill expands the definition of 'harmful to minors' to include discussions of human anatomy, sexuality, and reproduction, potentially censoring educational and health resources.
- Banning VPNs is technically unfeasible and would force websites to block all VPN users globally to comply with Wisconsin's law.
- VPNs are essential for businesses, students, vulnerable individuals (e.g., domestic abuse survivors, journalists, LGBTQ+ communities), and regular users seeking privacy.
- Age verification laws and VPN bans create privacy risks, as users must submit sensitive personal data to websites, increasing the likelihood of data breaches.
- The broad definition of 'harmful to minors' could target social media, LGBTQ+ resources, and reproductive health information, giving the state excessive censorship power.
- VPN bans won't stop determined users, who will find alternative methods to bypass restrictions, while harming those who rely on VPNs for legitimate purposes.
- Lawmakers should focus on education and better tools for online safety instead of invasive surveillance and privacy-eroding laws.