Redazione RHC : 26 November 2025 07:30
Several U.S. states are debating new restrictions that could significantly change traditional approaches to online privacy . Legislators in Wisconsin and Michigan are considering initiatives to combat material deemed harmful to minors.
The focus is on websites with content reserved for those aged 18 and over, as well as platforms where hate speech and other objectionable information may appear. In these debates , the idea is increasingly gaining ground that protecting minors requires not only age-based filters but also tool controls.
VPN services are considered one of these tools.
In this context, a bill has been introduced in Wisconsin that would require websites with explicit content to not only implement age verification systems but also block anyone attempting to access the site through a VPN . The bill has already passed the House and is advancing in the Senate.
If approved, the state would become the first in the United States to ban the use of VPNs to access such content.
A similar bill is under discussion in Michigan, but the initiative proposes an even more stringent approach . Providers could be required to monitor and terminate VPN connections at the network level . However, the local bill stalled early in its legislative process.
The American organization Electronic Frontier Foundation strongly criticizes such initiatives.
The group believes that restricting such services under the guise of security concerns effectively means sacrificing one’s privacy to access legal content . According to human rights activists , such measures will affect everyone, from corporate employees and students to journalists and those simply seeking to protect their personal data. The organization emphasizes that age verification procedures themselves present risks: they are poorly implemented, require the transfer of sensitive data, and are easily circumvented, thus causing more harm than good.
Instead of imposing bans, the EFF proposes focusing on more effective solutions : educating children about online safety, improving tools for parents, and addressing the root causes of online threats. The organization believes that eroding privacy and blocking technologies that help vulnerable groups, including journalists, activists, and persecuted individuals, will not lead to real improvements in child protection .
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