States and governments making absolutely ludicrous decisions that censor free information from their citizens is well...everyday stuff, really, as avid readers of this blog will know.
For the uninitiated, boy, have we got a story for you!
Montana and North Carolina are the latest to jump on the bandwagon, but before that, let's take a trip back one year ago, to Jan 1, 2023. The setting: World-renowned cosmopolitan hub...Baton Rouge, Louisiana. A law is now in effect, essentially empowering the state to force websites with content "harmful to minors" to verify the identity and age of its users. 6 months earlier, the Louisiana state legislature had set forth this series of events which would prove to have serious, long-lasting consequences.
Before we jump in, if you're just looking for a way to bypass censorship, then look no further: Windscribe has your back!
A Quick TL;DR of the Louisiana Law
- Any website comprised of more than 33% content deemed "harmful to minors" MUST verify the age of its users
- As defined by this law, the majority of content considered harmful to minors is sexual in nature. However, there was additional language in the bill that left things... Open to interpretation
- The specific language in question: The material taken as a whole lacks serious literary, artistic, political, or scientific value for minors.
I may not be a lawyer, but it's pretty easy to see how that last, seemingly intentionally vague statement could be abused to silence opinions or content that the Louisiana state government doesn't agree with. This creates a very ominous situation, where a site could be deemed “harmful” for entirely arbitrary reasons, and have its access from within Louisiana completely blocked, as the bill explicitly gives ISPs the power to block or reroute access for users whose age has not been verified.
The 2024 Updates
As we crown in the new year, we can say goodbye to our civil rights as governments slowly erode them away. In this case, Montana and North Carolina are the latest members of the no-fap club, with their laws mandating age verification for users accessing websites with over 33% content deemed harmful to minors.
As of January 1, 2024, the following states have fully enacted digital age verification laws:
- Louisiana
- Mississippi
- Arkansas
- Texas
- Utah
- Virginia
- Montana
- North Carolina
The following states have introduced bills or have bills being debated at the moment:
- Missouri
- Wisconsin
- Illinois
- Ohio
- Tennessee
- Alabama
- Maine
- New Hampshire
What Can I Do About This?
A good place to start is by contacting your representative and firmly voicing your displeasure. Beyond that, the most important thing you can do is to protect yourself.
At Windscribe, we take your privacy very seriously. Our ironclad “No Logs” policy means that even if someone comes knocking for data, we have nothing to give them. Our security features, like the VPN Firewall, are absolutely unmatched in their defensive capabilities. It'll keep you safe, secure, and private while online.
Circumvent Censorship With Windscribe
We also have a dedicated Circumvent Censorship feature that can help you preserve both your privacy and your internet access even when faced with increasingly draconian authorities.
Final Words Of Caution
To paraphrase a favorite quote of mine, "This is how civil rights erode, not with a bang but a whimper." Don't expect some big headline saying "The Government wants to take away your rights." That kind of thing happens quietly, under the guise of being beneficial to the people (looking at you, Patriot Act).
We aren't here to be crusaders for watching porn, but rather a crusader for your right to consume pornography privately. The way these laws are being written clearly allows for a liberal interpretation of the definition of "harmful to minors," which can and will have serious repercussions for freedom of information and speech in states that enact them.
“Information is the currency of democracy.” –Thomas Jefferson
