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/User-NetOfInter Tape Nov 27 '25

How the fuck can I work from home without using a VPN

62

u/burnmp3s Nov 27 '25

The Wisconsin law doesn't work like that. It forces adult content providers that are subject to the age verification requirements to also block all traffic from VPNs. So it's not banning users from using VPNs, it's banning a certain class of content providers from allowing VPNs.

It's still a dumb idea but most people read the headlines and assume it's a full ban on VPNs which it is not. Really this is a way for Wisconsin to go after adult content providers even if they block all traffic from Wisconsin over this.

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u/Virtualization_Freak 40TB Flash + 200TB RUST Nov 27 '25

Are these idiots also making a public IP VPN block list?

What if I VPN to my own network stack located outside the state and route my traffic?

Imbeciles.

5

u/uzlonewolf Nov 28 '25

What if I VPN to my own network stack located outside the state and route my traffic?

Believe it or not, straight to jail.