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   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   
      
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