MADISON, Wis.—State lawmakers advanced an age-verification proposal in the Wisconsin State Assembly to third reading after amendments were adopted to remove a prohibition on virtual private networks (VPNs), which have become a common tool for consumers to circumvent statewide content blocks by companies like Aylo.
AB 105 is a standard age-verification measure, but it went viral because of a provision in the bill that prohibits VPN traffic. Amendments happened earlier this week.
Originally the bill, if adopted, would have made Wisconsin the first state in the union to prohibit the use of a VPN for privacy purposes, punishable by fines. Outrage over the provision prompted lawmakers to adopt two amendments that remove references to VPNs and spoofed internet traffic. This makes the measure more palatable for bipartisan support.
It is likely that AB 105 will be adopted by the state legislature and signed into law by Democratic Gov. Tony Evers.
Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita recently sued Aylo, the parent company of Pornhub.com, for not blocking VPN traffic despite no explicit prohibition in state law.
A common argument from opponents of age-verification laws is that such laws are essentially ineffective because VPNs can circumvent content blocks. AVN previously confirmed with an Aylo spokesperson that all IP addresses in Indiana remain blocked because the company has withdrawn from Indiana.
