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Utah passed a bill that would hold websites liable if users mask their location using VPNs to bypass state restrictions such as age checks. The measure would require covered sites to take steps to verify a visitor’s true location and bans sharing instructions on using VPNs to evade rules. Tech observers warn the law misunderstands how VPNs and home VPN servers work, could push sites to log more data, and might drive heavier regulation or KYC-style requirements for VPN providers. Critics say the
Utah’s new age-verification law, HB60, takes effect this week and requires online pornography websites to verify visitors’ ages using government ID or third-party age verification services; it also lets the state block access for users who attempt to bypass checks with VPNs or anonymizing tools. The law targets site operators and intermediaries, exposing platforms and CDN/providers to enforcement and potential liability if they fail to restrict access from Utah IP addresses. Critics warn the rule raises privacy and free-speech concerns, risks centralizing sensitive identity data with vendors, and could pressure tech companies and VPN providers into contentious compliance roles. The change matters for internet companies, privacy advocates, and developers of verification tech.
Utah lawmakers passed an age-verification law that uniquely targets VPN use by making it an offense to bypass digital age checks, effectively criminalizing certain VPN or proxy actions used to circumvent online age gates. The measure requires online platforms to verify users’ ages for adult content and creates penalties for efforts to evade those checks, drawing attention from privacy advocates, VPN providers, and civil liberties groups. Tech companies and security experts warn the law could undermine user privacy, complicate legitimate VPN use for security, and create enforcement challenges for platforms and ISPs. The law matters because it sets a precedent for state-level regulation of internet tools and could influence national debates on privacy, platform compliance, and circumvention technologies.
Utah has enacted a law making websites potentially liable if users bypass state age or location checks by masking their location with VPNs or other tools. The law targets online services that fail to take “reasonable” steps to verify a user’s true location, aiming to prevent minors from accessing age-restricted content and to enforce state regulations. It could force site operators to implement tougher geo-verification, collect more data, or block VPN traffic, raising compliance and privacy implications for online platforms and VPN providers. Legal exposure and technical burdens may disproportionately affect smaller sites and privacy-preserving services, prompting broader debates about regulation, user privacy, and enforceability.
Utah passed a bill that would hold websites liable if users mask their location using VPNs to bypass state restrictions such as age checks. The measure would require covered sites to take steps to verify a visitor’s true location and bans sharing instructions on using VPNs to evade rules. Tech observers warn the law misunderstands how VPNs and home VPN servers work, could push sites to log more data, and might drive heavier regulation or KYC-style requirements for VPN providers. Critics say the rule is technically impractical, risks degrading privacy, and could set a precedent for broader internet control and intrusive network-level enforcement.