Utah to make using VPNs to bypass age checks illegal, first ever for the US

[Hitcore]

Utah's Online Age Verification Amendments, formally Senate Bill 73, take effect on May 6, making the state the first in the U.S. to explicitly target VPN use as part of age verification legislation.

Utah first state to hold websites liable for users who mask their location with VPNs — law goes into effect, designed to prevent bypassing age checks

Senate Bill 73 holds websites liable for users who mask their location.

www.tomshardware.com

SB0073

le.utah.gov

 

[Retro]

I was wondering how long it would take for VPNs to start getting banned.

 

[AllThingsTech]

I find this thread title misleading. It’s not specifically illegal for the user to use VPNs to bypass age checks - more that platforms will be held accountable for thorough age verification procedures, and that includes disallowing circumventing of such using VPNs - either this means banning VPNs or conducting age check for users globally.

Given the widespread availability of residential VPNs hence the inability to identify said VPNs, the only workable solution is global age verification procedures IMO. Now, do you think this is fair on the website provider?

 

[Hitcore]

either this means banning VPNs

So, illegal then. De facto, at least.

the only workable solution is global age verification procedures IMO

How about let's effing not.

(protip: age verification isn't about protecting children)

 

[AllThingsTech]

So, illegal then. De facto, at least.



How about let's effing not.

(protip: age verification isn't about protecting children)

View attachment 2993

Erm, no. It’s illegal for platforms to allow circumventing using VPNs, doesn’t mean VPNs in and of themselves are illegal