Age verification or censorship? Missouri's new rules are age-gating way more than adult sites

Date:
Mon, 01 Dec 2025 18:40:26 +0000

Description:
A day after implementation, experts' concerns about the law's mission creep seem to have become a reality. Here's all we know.

FULL STORY

Mandatory age verification landed in Missouri on Sunday, November 30, and
some reports suggest that more websites may be impacted than previously thought.

Missouri's age verification law requires websites and apps to verify that users are at least 18 years old if 33% or more of their content is deemed "harmful" to minors. The law defines "harmful" content as sexually explicit material that lacks serious literary, artistic, political, or scientific
value for minors

Experts speaking to TechRadar warn that these definitions are still too
vague, creating a real risk of "mission creep." And, according to some Reddit users, these concerns are not merely theoretical they are already playing out.

One person cited an online lingerie store requiring age checks for certain photos as proof of the problem, saying: "Looks like its chilling speech to
me."

As of Monday, December 1, online sports betting is also legal in Missouri, requiring websites to verify that gamblers are at least 21. However, the
states new age verification law makes no reference to age-gating this type of content, which could create confusion among providers.

Here at TechRadar, we have tried to verify which websites have already been impacted by the new rules by connecting to a virtual private network (VPN) , but obtained mixed results so far. This suggests that the new requirements
may still be rolling out.

"A sweeping surveillance and censorship regime"

"Missouris age-verification mandate imposes a sweeping surveillance and censorship regime that will lock millions of adults and young people out of vibrant and lawful online spaces," activist at the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), Molly Buckley, told TechRadar.

Buckley is especially critical of the law's "vague standard" and "harsh penalties," noting that providers can face fines of up to $10,000 a day for non-compliance. She explains that these risks could "push platforms to over-censor important content, flee the state entirely, or ban young people outright in order to avoid risk of liability."

Her concerns appear well-founded. Beyond the user reports surfacing on
Reddit, Aylo the parent company of many of the biggest adult sites has officially blocked access to everyone in Missouri . The company stated it has taken this step in Missouri and several other states that have implemented similar laws to avoid jeopardizing user data privacy and security.

To access adult-only content, users must prove their age and identity. They
can do this by scanning a government-issued ID, providing other transactional data, or using a digital ID .

Yet, according to Buckley and other experts who talked to TechRadar , forcing everyone to hand over their most valuable and sensitive identity data could lead to privacy abuse or data leaks.

"Lawmakers should focus on real solutions for all, like strong privacy protections and limits on data brokers, not broad censorship and surveillance mandates like this one," said Buckley.

How a VPN can help

If you are concerned about sharing sensitive details or want to bypass
website blocks, you might consider a VPN. This tool encrypts your internet connection and masks your IP address, allowing you to sidestep geo-restrictions.

Many Missourians are already taking action: searches for VPNs have
quadrupled since the new rules took effect . However, be cautious shady companies are exploiting this surge. A search for "Missouri VPN" already reveals top results from providers our expert reviewers have never heard of.

And, while there are a handful of free VPNs that are secure and reliable,
they all come with limitations.

We test and review VPN services in the context of legal recreational uses.
For example:1. Accessing a service from another country (subject to the terms and conditions of that service).2. Protecting your online security and strengthening your online privacy when abroad.We do not support or condone using a VPN service to break the law or conduct illegal activities. Consuming pirated content that is paid-for is neither endorsed nor approved by Future Publishing.

======================================================================
Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/vpn/vpn-privacy-security/age-verification-or-censors hip-missouris-new-rules-are-age-gating-way-more-than-adult-sites

$$
--- SBBSecho 3.28-Linux
* Origin: capitolcityonline.net * Telnet/SSH:2022/HTTP (1:2320/105)