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Utah Targets VPNs in Age Verification
Coverage from EFF, Rolling Out, and others
Utah Senate Bill 73 treats people physically in the state as Utah users for age-verification purposes even when they use VPNs or proxies, and restricts covered websites from facilitating circumvention.
The measure has prompted warnings that websites may respond with broader VPN blocking or age checks for users outside Utah, while Aylo has sued to challenge the law’s reach and constitutionality. Its implementation is being tested against unresolved questions about VPN detection, privacy, and enforcement.
The main update is procedural: SB73 is now in force, with VPN-related enforcement reportedly postponed while Aylo’s federal challenge proceeds. The framing also sharpens around constitutional and extraterritorial concerns, alongside renewed warnings about broader VPN blocking and age checks.
The biggest change is that Utah’s VPN-related age-verification law has moved from a controversial policy to active litigation, with enforcement of the most contested provisions now delayed. The updated version also sharpens the operational risk by emphasizing unreliable VPN detection and the likelihood of broader blocking or out-of-state age checks.