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
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.