“Leave VPNs alone.” That’s the plea from anti-online censorship and surveillance group Fight for the Future, which has designated Thursday as a VPN Day of Action, a day for people to press lawmakers not to ban virtual private networks.
The group of activists, artists, engineers and technologists is calling on people to sign an open letter and encourage politicians to preserve the existence of VPNs, which are encrypted internet connections aimed at protecting privacy and preventing surveillance. VPNs can hide your physical location.
Don’t miss any of our unbiased tech content and lab-based reviews. Add CNET as a preferred Google source.
Fight for the Future campaigns and communication director Lia Holland said VPNs are vital for “people living under authoritarian regimes” to avoid censorship and surveillance.
“Reputable VPNs have become an essential tool that support everyday people in exercising their basic human rights,” Holland said. “But amid a moral panic, ignorant ‘save-the-children’ politicians are getting very close to kicking the hornet’s nest of millions of people who know how important VPNs are.”
More from CNET: Welcome to the Era of Online Age Verification. Are You Ready to Identify Yourself?
Joining the call for action on Thursday are the VPN Trust Initiative — comprised of NordVPN, Surfshark and ExpressVPN — and the VPN Guild, which includes Amnezia VPN.
Half of all US states have passed age-verification laws, which require that internet users prove their age with government-issued IDs, credit card checks and other methods. That has spurred consumers to sign up for VPNs to avoid giving out sensitive information, with one recent VPN sign-up spike in the UK.
Michigan is considering a bill banning adult content online and VPNs. If the bill becomes law, Michigan would be the first US state to ban VPNs. Many countries, including China, India and Iran, already ban or heavily restrict VPNs.
More from CNET: Our Top VPNs — It’s a Tight Race | Why You Need a VPN
Fight for the Future identifies who your local lawmakers are and suggests what to say when you contact their office. That help is listed on the same web page as the Defend VPNs open letter.
