Wisconsin Wants to Ban VPNs. Lawmakers Don't Understand How the Internet Works

TL;DR: Wisconsin's A.B. 105 passed the State Assembly and would require adult websites to both verify user ages AND block all VPN users. Michigan's H.B. 4938 goes further: it wants ISPs to block "circumvention tools" including VPNs, proxies, and encrypted tunnels. The EFF calls these proposals "technically impossible" to enforce and a massive privacy risk. Half of America now has age verification laws, and lawmakers are going after the tools people use to protect themselves online.

Lawmakers Are Coming for Your VPN

Wisconsin's bill A.B. 105/S.B. 130 has already passed the State Assembly. It requires websites with "sexual content" to do two things:

Verify users are over 18
Block anyone using a VPN

Read that again. Even if you prove you're an adult, Wisconsin wants you blocked if you're protecting your privacy with a VPN ^[1].

Michigan's H.B. 4938 takes it further. The "Anticorruption of Public Morals Act" doesn't just target websites: it targets your internet service provider. Under this bill, ISPs would be required to monitor for and block "circumvention tools," which explicitly includes VPNs, proxies, and encrypted tunnels ^[2].

There's no carve-out for business use. No exception for remote work. No acknowledgment that encrypted tunnels are how modern companies keep data secure.

The "We Don't Understand Technology" Problem

Here's what the Electronic Frontier Foundation had to say: "Websites have no way to tell if a VPN connection is coming from Milwaukee, Michigan, or Mumbai" ^[1].

That's the technical reality. When you use a VPN, websites see the VPN server's location, not yours. A website can't tell if you're in Wisconsin using a VPN or in Germany not using one.

So what would compliance look like? Websites would have to block ALL VPN users everywhere. A Wisconsin law would affect users in California, Canada, and everywhere else.

The EFF puts it bluntly: "Lawmakers need to abandon this entire approach... attacks on VPNs are attacks on digital privacy."

What Counts as "Harmful to Minors"?

Wisconsin's bill doesn't just target pornography. It expands the definition of "harmful to minors" far beyond established legal limits ^[1].

Under the proposed language, content that discusses:

Sex education
Human anatomy
Reproductive health

...could all be restricted, even when the content is educational.

Health websites, sex education resources, and LGBTQ+ support forums could all be caught in this net. The goal isn't protecting kids. It's building a surveillance infrastructure.

Who Actually Uses VPNs?

Lawmakers treat VPNs like they're only used to break rules. In reality:

Remote workers access company systems through VPNs every day
University students use VPNs to access research databases
Domestic abuse survivors use VPNs to hide their location from abusers
Journalists and activists use VPNs to protect sources and stay safe
LGBTQ+ individuals use VPNs to access support resources safely
Regular people use VPNs to stop ISPs from selling their browsing history

Banning VPNs doesn't protect children. It strips privacy from everyone.

Age Verification Is Already a Privacy Disaster

Half of America now mandates age verification for adult content or social media. Nine states enacted these laws in 2025 alone ^[3].

To verify your age, you typically have to submit:

Government-issued ID
Biometric face scan
Credit card information

This data goes to third-party verification companies. And those companies get hacked.

When Louisiana's age verification system went live, privacy advocates warned about inevitable breaches. They were right. Data from these systems has already been compromised in past incidents ^[1].

The EFF warned this creates "a sprawling surveillance regime that would reshape how people of all ages use the internet."

What's Next

Wisconsin's bill is in the Senate. Michigan's bill is in committee. Neither is law yet.

But the pattern is clear. 2025 was the year age verification went from fringe experiment to "sweeping reality." 2026 could be the year lawmakers start attacking the privacy tools people use to protect themselves.

What You Can Do

Contact Your Representatives

If you're in Wisconsin or Michigan, tell your state legislators these bills are technically unworkable and privacy-destroying. The EFF has resources for contacting lawmakers.

Support Digital Rights Organizations

The EFF, ACLU, and other groups are fighting these laws in courts and legislatures. They need resources to keep fighting.

Keep Using VPNs

VPNs remain legal and essential for privacy. Use a reputable paid VPN service, not free ones that may sell your data.

Learn About Alternatives

Tor, private DNS, and other tools provide privacy protections. The more you know, the harder you are to track.