Wisconsin lawmakers have reversed a provision in their age verification legislation that would have banned VPN access to websites with material harmful to minors. The change follows criticism from digital rights advocates highlighting privacy and access concerns. The bill now awaits Governor Tony Evers's signature.
Wisconsin Senate Bill 130, along with its companion Assembly Bill 105, was introduced in March 2025 to prohibit businesses from publishing or distributing material harmful to minors without a reasonable method to verify the age of individuals attempting to access the website.
One initial provision required businesses to block access via a virtual private network system or provider. VPNs enable users to access the internet through an encrypted connection, masking their IP address and physical location while bypassing firewalls and unblocking geographically restricted content.
Following criticism, state Senator Van Wanggaard moved to delete the VPN ban provision, releasing VPN services from liability. The state assembly agreed to the removal, and the bill now proceeds to Governor Tony Evers for signature.
Rindala Alajaji, associate director of state affairs at the Electronic Frontier Foundation, described the reversal as "great news." She added, "This shows the power of public advocacy and pushback. Politicians heard the VPN users who shared their worries and fears, and the experts who explained how the ban wouldn't work."
Earlier, the EFF sent an open letter to lawmakers arguing that the draft laws did not "meaningfully advance the goal of keeping young people safe online." The group noted that blocking VPNs would harm businesses, universities, journalists, ordinary citizens, law enforcement professionals, veterans, and small business owners who rely on VPNs for secure connections. The EFF also called the requirement "unworkable," as websites cannot reliably determine a VPN user's location, potentially forcing them to block all VPN users nationwide or halt services in Wisconsin.
VPNs have seen increased use as age-restriction laws grow in the US, though many opt for free services vulnerable to cybercriminals.
Separately, Michigan introduced the Anticorruption of Public Morals Act last year, which would ban all VPN use, require ISPs to detect and block it, prohibit VPN sales, and impose fines up to $500,000 if passed.
