'A spectacularly bad idea' — Digital rights advocates call on Wisconsin lawmakers to reject VPN ban bill

• The Electronic Frontier Foundation urges Wisconsin lawmakers to oppose the age verification bill
• The proposal would force all adult sites to block VPN connections
• Lawmakers are voting on the AB 105/SB 130 bill today

Wisconsin lawmakers are set to vote on a controversial age verification bill today, as digital rights advocates urge politicians to vote down the proposal.

In an open letter published Tuesday, the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) described the legislation as "a spectacularly bad idea." The bill — formally Wisconsin AB 105/SB 130 — has been fueling backlash, particularly due its provisions around the use of VPN services.

Under the proposed rules, any service provider operating in Wisconsin that "knowingly and intentionally" distributes material deemed harmful to minors would be required to block all VPN users.

Wisconsin age verification bill: What digital rights experts are saying

The EFF notes that the proposed rules regarding virtual private networks and similar circumvention software — specifically within section 100.76 (2)(c) — are "especially concerning."

Experts point out that VPNs are not just used for bypassing filters, they are essential daily tools for students, remote workers, businesses, and law enforcement seeking basic digital security.

It remains unclear how lawmakers intend to enforce the blocking requirements. According to the EFF, blocking VPN users located in Wisconsin is "unworkable" from a technical standpoint because websites cannot reliably determine the true origin of a VPN connection.

"As a result, covered websites would face an impossible choice: either block all VPN users everywhere, disrupting access for millions of people nationwide, or cease offering services in Wisconsin altogether," the EFF wrote.

The group also argues that these requirements are ultimately toothless. Experts believe users intent on bypassing the restrictions will simply switch to non-commercial VPNs, open proxies, or inexpensive virtual servers, rendering the law ineffective against those it aims to restrict.

The risk to VPN use is only one aspect of the law that concerns digital rights experts. According to the EFF, the bill "creates severe privacy and data security risks" by requiring online services to collect highly sensitive user data.

Like similar age verification laws, this would force platforms to demand government ID scans, financial details, or biometric data from their users.

EFF notes that while the bill prohibits businesses from "knowingly retaining" this information, it fails to prevent unnecessary data retention altogether. Experts warn that this could lead to widespread abuses and data breaches if the sensitive databases are targeted by hackers.

Finally, critics argue the bill's definition of "harmful to minors" is dangerously broad. As currently written, all sexually explicit content must be age-gated if it is deemed to lack serious literary, artistic, political, or scientific value for minors.

Experts believe this vague criteria "invites over-censorship, chills lawful speech, and exposes businesses to unpredictable enforcement."

From security tool to 'loophole': the global VPN crackdown

Wisconsin is not alone in its shift toward viewing VPNs as an obstacle to implementing age verification rather than a vital security tool.

Last September, Michigan lawmakers introduced a similar bill that would go significantly further. If passed, the Michigan legislation would force Internet Service Providers (ISPs) to actively monitor and block VPN connections, while simultaneously banning the promotion or sale of any tool used to bypass content restrictions — a move Proton described as a "danger for the political discourse."

Across the Atlantic, the UK government is also exploring restrictions on children’s VPN use. Prime Minister Keir Starmer recently announced plans to "close loopholes" that undermine online safety protections, potentially including age-gating VPN services themselves.

Digital rights advocates warn that these moves represent a significant shift in how democratic nations treat encryption. While such restrictions have historically been associated with authoritarian regimes, the current flurry of legislative activity suggests that a successful proposal in one region could provide a blueprint for similar restrictions worldwide.

We have contacted the EFF for additional comments and will update this page as more information becomes available.

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