Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers vetoed Assembly Bill 105, a measure that would have required residents to provide government identification or biometric data to access adult websites within the state.

Key Points

• Wisconsin Assembly Bill 105 passed the state legislature with a 69-22 vote before being blocked by Governor Tony Evers.
• The proposed legislation would have mandated that websites hosting adult material implement age verification methods to restrict access for minors.
• Similar age verification laws have been enacted in over 25 states, often requiring users to submit government IDs, credit card information, or biometric scans.
• Governor Evers cited concerns regarding the privacy of Wisconsin residents and the potential for sensitive data breaches by third-party verification vendors.
• The governor suggested exploring device-based age verification, though digital rights advocates warn this approach could still compromise user anonymity and data security.

Why it Matters

This veto highlights the ongoing national tension between protecting minors online and maintaining the digital privacy of adult citizens. As more states and federal lawmakers consider similar age-assurance mandates, the debate underscores the significant security risks associated with storing sensitive personal identification data on third-party platforms.