Utah law bars websites from discussing VPN use to bypass age verification, raising First Amendment concerns
By
Sam Chapman
Toasted to a respectable shade. No regrets, no crumbs left.
Summary
Utah's Senate Bill 73, effective May 6, updates the state's age verification law to prohibit websites from explaining how to use VPNs to bypass age restrictions. It also holds websites liable for verifying ages of all users within Utah's borders regardless of virtual location. While VPNs themselves remain legal, the law raises First Amendment concerns by restricting speech about VPN usage and has implications for online privacy and digital rights beyond Utah.
Key quotes
· 3 pulledFor starters, forbidding businesses from even discussing VPNs on their websites feels very much like a First Amendment violation
websites subject to the state's age verification law will be legally barred from explaining how to use a VPN to get around age restrictions
They'll also be liable for enforcing age verification for any user within Utah's physical borders — regardless of their apparent virtual location
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