Federal judge blocks Utah’s law requiring adult sites to detect and block VPN users
EFF’s post explains why detecting VPNs reliably isn’t technically possible; it is an advocate in the debate.
A federal court issued a preliminary injunction against the VPN provisions of Utah’s SB 73, which required adult websites to block VPN users or locate them, and barred sites from explaining VPNs. The court found the law likely violates the Constitution’s limits on burdening interstate commerce.
Digital-rights advocates
The law demands something technically impossible and harms privacy worldwide.
Electronic Frontier Foundation ↗Reporting
Hacker News ↗Across the spectrum 1
Republican
Utah Sen. Cal Musselman (R), the bill’s sponsor, said before the ruling that SB 73 is about accountability, not censorship: it requires companies that profit from material harmful to minors to take reasonable steps to keep it from children, as is already done with alcohol, tobacco and gambling.
ABC4 Utah ↗-
Dormant Commerce Clause
After exploring Court Agrees with EFF: Utah’s VPN Law Demands a Technical Impossibility, for the legal doctrine behind the ruling, read Dormant Commerce Clause.
The constitutional doctrine the judge relied on: states can’t pass laws that unduly burden commerce beyond their borders.
Wikipedia · Swim · 30 min
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New Utah law cracks down on websites featuring adult content, VPN usage
After exploring Court Agrees with EFF: Utah’s VPN Law Demands a Technical Impossibility, for the sponsor’s case, read New Utah law cracks down on websites featuring adult content, VPN usage.
The other side: the bill’s sponsor, Sen. Cal Musselman, says the law is about accountability, not censorship, like age limits on alcohol and tobacco.
ABC4 Utah · Wade · 5 min
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