U.S. Site Blocking Bill Adds VPNs to the List of Blocking Intermediaries

“The term ‘service provider’ includes providers of broadband internet access services, providers of domain name resolution services, and virtual private networks, but excludes root nameserver operators and top level domain registries.”

The discussion draft covered ISPs and DNS resolvers. The filed bill quietly adds VPNs. That is the whole point of a VPN, and Hollywood knows it. “All commercially reasonable steps” is a blank check for whatever the studios demand next. Every blocking regime starts with pirate sites and ends with a censorship list.