Utah becomes the first US state to target VPNs as its new age-verification law takes effect today
Utah's Online Age Verification Amendments, formally known as Senate Bill 73 (SB 73), differs from the age-verification laws of other US states and countries by specifically targeting VPN software as part of its rules. Read Entire Article
Utah has made history as the first U.S. state to target Virtual Private Network (VPN) use for age verification, sparking concerns among privacy advocates. The Online Age Verification Amendments, officially Senate Bill 73 (SB 73), takes effect today, despite a court injunction delaying its May deadline due to a challenge from Pornhub's parent company, Aylo.
The law's unique aspect lies in its focus on VPN software as a key component of its age verification rules. Commercial websites with more than one-third harmful content to minors must implement age verification measures before granting access to Utah residents, regardless of VPN usage. Websites failing to comply risk up to $2,500 per violation and are barred from sharing VPN circumvention instructions.
However, critics argue the law's assumption of certainty in detecting VPN traffic and true physical location is flawed. VPN providers, like Nord, warn that compliance may lead to intrusive age checks for millions of users worldwide. The Electronic Frontier Foundation has also raised concerns, fearing the law could compel websites to block VPN traffic, infringing on free speech rights.
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