Wisconsin scrapped VPN ban, but age checks loom

Wisconsin scrapped the VPN ban, but the age-check bill still threatens online access.

In a move that drew cheers from digital rights advocates and concerns from lawmakers who see a harder line on internet content, Wisconsin lawmakers removed the provision banning VPN services from S.B. 130 / A.B. 105. The update, issued on February 25, 2026, means the bill no longer forces Wisconsinites to forgo VPNs to reach certain websites. But the core idea remains: the measure would require invasive age verification for sites the legislature brands as “sexual” content and would compel those sites to block users who connect via certain technologies. The bill now awaits Governor Tony Evers’ signature.

The development follows a familiar arc for the package. The measure passed the State Assembly earlier in the session and was slated for a Senate vote the next day, with the big question being whether the VPN ban would survive the final hurdle. The Electronic Frontier Foundation, in a pointed letter to the full Legislature, called the plan “a spectacularly bad idea” and urged lawmakers to reject it. The group argued that the age-verification mandate is invasive, chokes lawful speech, and would trap Wisconsinites in a web of data collection and censorship just to access content some officials deem inappropriate.

Policy documents show the proposed approach hinges on a two-pronged remit: first, require certain websites to implement age-verification mechanisms; second, enforce blocking of users who attempt to evade age gates via VPNs. The combination, critics say, creates a regulatory lever that threatens privacy, raises data-security concerns, and risks oversetting the state’s reach into what adults can view online. Even with the VPN ban removed, the core concern persists: a state-level gate on access that could affect journalists, educators, researchers, and everyday internet users who rely on age verification or privacy-preserving tools for legitimate reasons.

For compliance teams, the shift matters in practical terms. If the bill advances to the governor’s desk and becomes law, sites hosting content deemed “sexual” would face a mandatory age-verification requirement in Wisconsin. That means design, user experience, and data-security considerations move from abstract policy talk into concrete project work: choosing age-check solutions, handling user data responsibly, and documenting consent and verification logs. The absence of a VPN ban reduces a portion of technical enforcement pressure, but the bill’s reach remains broad enough to implicate a wide swath of online services that cater to a general audience.

Two to four practitioner insights:

Age-verification tech is fraught with tradeoffs. Implementing robust, privacy-respecting age checks is costly and technically intricate, with a high risk of false positives and unwarranted blocking that can alienate legitimate users.

Enforcement uncertainty matters. Without clear penalties and a defined enforcement framework in the final text, compliance teams will grapple with ambiguous risk—and potential retroactive changes as the law settles.

Privacy and data-security implications are central. Any age-verification stack creates new data-handling obligations; providers must anticipate data breach exposure and ensure minimal data collection, strong encryption, and transparent retention policies.

The political outcome is pivotal. Governor Evers’ stance will determine whether this proposal becomes law or whether further amendments will be required. In the meantime, the rhetoric from supporters and opponents will shape industry readiness and jurisdictional expectations for digital content rules.

Governor Evers now faces a choice with far-reaching implications for Wisconsin’s digital landscape. If he signs, compliance will begin in earnest once the final text takes effect, placing a new regulatory layer on sites with content authorities deem inappropriate for certain audiences. If he vetoes or if the measure stalls, the VPN ban may be off the table, but the age-verification concept could reappear in amended form in future sessions.

Sources

EFF to Wisconsin Legislature: VPN Bans Are Still a Terrible Idea