VPN Bans in U.S. States Threaten Online Privacy for All
Lawmakers in U.S. states like Wisconsin and Michigan have proposed bills to ban VPNs. These officials claim that banning them will protect children from predators and from exposure to adult content. One online privacy nonprofit, the Electronic Frontier Foundation, writes that these lawmakers don’t know what they’re doing.
What are VPNs?
VPNs are Virtual Private Networks, and they route web traffic to and from devices via third-party servers. They hide your actual IP address so the site you’re trying to browse thinks you’re browsing from a different location.
There are many networks out there, but some free ones can inject malware into your device, log your internet activity or misuse or sell your personal data. One network that promises to protect your data is ProtonVPN, made by the same company behind ProtonMail. Other privacy networks include NordVPN, Mullvad, ExpressVPN and SurfShark.
What Happens if VPNs are Banned?
If the bills pass in Wisconsin and Michigan, websites based in these states will be forced to block users of this technology. Passing these bills cause precedence taken in the United Kingdom, where the Online Safety Act requires a third-party service to verify identity to access direct messages on BlueSky, for example.
Rindala Alajaji, a Legislative Activist at the Electronic Frontier Foundation, or EFF, explains why this is a bad idea and why it’s technically impossible to do ban these networks. In her report, Alajaji writes, “Websites subject to this proposed law are left with this choice: either cease operation in Wisconsin, or block all VPN users, everywhere, just to avoid legal liability in the state. One state’s terrible law is attempting to break VPN access for the entire internet, and the unintended consequences of this provision could far outweigh any theoretical benefit.”
Alajaji adds that if the bill passes in Wisconsin, websites cannot tell the exact location of an encrypted connection. Additionally, she writes that businesses function on these networks; students need them to access course materials, resources and databases via library websites; vulnerable people like domestic abuse survivors, journalists, activists and people from free speech-hostile nations need private networks for resources, safety and information.
The Importance of VPNs
If VPNs are banned, according to Alajaji, users will be forced to provide personal identifiable information – government IDs, biometric data (think selfies) and credit card information, for example – directly to websites.
This puts their data at risk due to the lack of encryption or privacy protection. Encrypted connections also add a layer of privacy from everyday people who don’t want their browsing data sold to advertisers. Outlets such as Forbes, PCGamer and CNET agree that these bills are a bad idea and reflect a justice system that can’t keep up with advances and issues with the Internet. It’s a tale as old as time.
