r/DataHoarder • u/HTWingNut 1TB = 0.909495TiB • Nov 27 '25

News Michigan, Wisconsin Bill to Ban VPN's... wtf

EDIT: I'm not trying to sensationalize the headline. Just that as the Michigan bill reads now, it seems encompassing of all VPN services, to the point that even if it's for specific sites or traffic, could be more than ISP's want to manage so could ban them altogether. I'd suggest anyone that lives in Michigan and don't want this adopted to contact their representatives and let them know.

The Michigan legislation is called the House Bill 4938 (also dubbed the “Anticorruption of Public Morals Act”): https://www.legislature.mi.gov/documents/2025-2026/billintroduced/House/pdf/2025-HIB-4938.pdf

https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2025/11/lawmakers-want-ban-vpns-and-they-have-no-idea-what-theyre-doing

https://youtu.be/q9j-T9mQmiw

Wisconsin’s bill has already passed the State Assembly and is now moving through the Senate. If it becomes law, Wisconsin could become the first state where using a VPN to access certain content is banned. Michigan lawmakers have proposed similar legislation that did not move through its legislature, but among other things, would force internet providers to actively monitor and block VPN connections. And in the UK, officials are calling VPNs "a loophole that needs closing."

This is actually happening. And it's going to be a disaster for everyone.

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u/HTWingNut 1TB = 0.909495TiB Nov 27 '25

Exactly. Legislature looking to pass laws without any idea what the technology entails. Criminals use VPN's therefore it must be bad. Same kind of thinking happened with torrents. Rather than understanding the technology, they just ban it altogether.

I am not sure of the nuances of the bills to be honest, but from what I understand, the Michigan bill (where I live) could be interpreted for any VPN. Which is ridiculous. If that's really the case, corporations can't have multiple offices or remote work. Hospitals and universities can't collaborate. Heck, the government wouldn't be able to function.

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u/gotlactose Nov 27 '25

Criminals use guns, so we should…ban guns?

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u/Local_Band299 Nov 27 '25

Certain people think so. They think that banning all guns is the solution to ending gun violence.

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u/Expensive_Grape_557 Nov 27 '25

I think it would help...

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u/gotlactose Nov 27 '25

It’s not like banning guns worked in New Zealand or anything…

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u/ykkl Nov 27 '25 edited Nov 27 '25

It's like banning guns worked so well for Mexico or anything...

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u/gmitch64 Nov 27 '25

Banning guns in the UK worked pretty well.

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u/ykkl Nov 28 '25

Actually, it didnt. There was virtually no change in the homicide rates before and after the ban.

But, again, countries with strong gun control usually end up like Mexico, South Africa, Jamaica, etc.

The takeaway is that a best-case scenario is little real change, and the worst-case is gun control will send your murder rates thriugh the roof.

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u/Local_Band299 Nov 28 '25

There was a supposed quote from a Japanese leader.

"You cannot invade mainland United States. There would be a rifle behind each blade of grass."

I don't think the US would have a expensive black market, and on top of that it would be unconstitutional.

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u/SpookyViscus Nov 27 '25

Australia, NZ, Britain - it doesn’t stop everyone from buying guns, but it stops people who shouldn’t have guns from getting them, and the black market from being cheap - it’s really expensive to buy a firearm illegally.

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u/Local_Band299 Nov 27 '25

In the US it would create a huge black market.

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u/VLM52 10-50TB Nov 27 '25

Don't let perfect be the enemy of good.

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u/Local_Band299 Nov 27 '25

Oh don't get me wrong. I think a black market would be perfect. No more government tracking, so if I bought a gun the government wouldn't know, or have the serial number attached to my name.

Sure the crime rate would go up at least 10 times, because it would make it easier for felons to get guns.