Wisconsin scraps VPN ban in age-verification bill

Wisconsin just peeled back a VPN ban from a sweeping age-verification bill.

The update, issued February 25, 2026, confirms that the provision banning Virtual Private Networks from accessing certain websites has been removed from S.B. 130 / A.B. 105. The bill, which lawmakers pressed last year as an “age-verification” measure aimed at limiting access to content policymakers deem sexual, now awaits Governor Tony Evers’ signature. The change is framed as a step away from overreach, but the broader bill remains in play and remains controversial among digital rights advocates.

The Essential Tension

The Wisconsin proposal, as critics noted, would have forced websites hosting content lawmakers consider sexual to implement invasive age checks and to block users who connect through VPNs. The Electronic Frontier Foundation, which has long opposed the measure, argues the package is a fundamental attack on privacy and lawful speech. The removal of the VPN ban reduces one clear path to overbroad censorship and the chilling effect that can follow—where people self-censor to avoid scrutiny or content blocks. But advocates warn that the age-verification core of the bill still puts a heavy burden on both platforms and users.

For the people of Wisconsin, the practical question remains: what does this mean for everyday internet access and privacy? If the bill becomes law, residents could face friction when trying to reach legitimate sites that host content policymakers might label as “sexual.” They could also lose a tool—VPNs—that many rely on for privacy, safety, or access to information not bound by location data. The EFF and other opponents argue the combination of age checks and site-level blocking would chill free expression and heighten risk of data collection, surveillance, and misclassification.

What’s in play next

With the VPN prohibition off the table, the bill now moves toward potential signature by Governor Evers. If signed, Wisconsin would still have a framework governing age-verification for certain online content, with all the attendant compliance burdens for website operators. The political dynamic is telling: a broad, tech-heavy regulation remains on the table, but a controversial tool that many use for privacy protection—VPNs—has been taken out of the equation. Opponents urge the governor to veto the bill altogether, arguing that the entire approach risks unintended consequences and civil-liberties violations.

2–4 practitioner insights that matter on the ground

Compliance costs and feasibility: Even without a VPN ban, the bill’s age-verification mandate would impose significant technical and operational costs on site operators, especially small platforms hosting user-generated content. Operators would need robust verification workflows, privacy safeguards, and monitoring systems to avoid false positives while not collecting excessive data.

Privacy and freedom of expression: Removing the VPN ban reduces one mechanism that could undermine privacy protections and broad online access. For journalists, researchers, and everyday users who rely on privacy tools to avoid tracking or location-based discrimination, this is a meaningful shift—though the bill’s core age-verification requirements still risk chilling effect and selective accessibility.

Enforcement and scope: The bill’s reach—how and where it could be enforced, and what constitutes “sexual” content—remains a critical unknown. Without clear lines, platforms face regulatory ambiguity and risk of over-enforcement or inconsistent rulings across state lines, complicating cross-border digital services.

Signals for other states: Wisconsin’s experience highlights a broader regulatory pattern: lawmakers test privacy- and safety-focused controls that touch on infrastructure, privacy, and speech. The VPN clause’s removal may embolden opponents in other states to push similarly sensitive approaches with more narrowly tailored tools.

The outcome hinges on Governor Evers’ decision, but the debate already shapes how policy makers balance child-protection goals with civil liberties and practical realism for online platforms. The broader lesson for tech operators and civil-society groups is clear: even partial victories in reducing invasive tools don’t erase the market’s pressure for thoughtful, precise regulation that protects safety without stifling privacy or innovation.

Sources

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