Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers has vetoed a bill requiring residents to verify their age before accessing pornographic websites, citing concerns over personal privacy and data security. The measure would have imposed an 'intrusive burden,' according to Evers.

The legislation (AB 105) aimed to restrict access to sites deemed more than one-third harmful to minors by demanding a ‘reasonable’ form of age verification, akin to showing government-issued ID. Similar measures are in place in more than two dozen states across the US, yet Pornhub has been forced to block its site in some of them.

Supporters of the bill argued for privacy concerns, but Evers expressed worry about data misuse and security risks associated with age verification. An earlier version sought to ban virtual private networks (VPNs), which users often employ to bypass online age checks – a provision that was ultimately removed by legislators in February.

Despite vetoing this measure, the governor left open the possibility of alternative ‘device-based’ methods for verifying user ages on personal devices. This stance could pave the way for compromise solutions while maintaining privacy concerns at the forefront.