From Book Bans to Internet Bans: Wyoming Lets Parents Control the Whole State’s Access to The Internet

Source: Electronic Frontier Foundation
by Rindala Alajaji & Jason Kelley

“HB0043 is a ‘bounty’ law that deputizes any resident with a child to file civil lawsuits against websites they believe are in violation, effectively turning anyone into a potential content cop. There is no central agency, no regulatory oversight, and no clear standard. Instead, the law invites parents in Wyoming to take enforcement for the entire state — every resident, and everyone else’s children — into their own hands by suing websites that contain a single example of objectionable content. … This is a textbook example of a ‘heckler’s veto,’ where a single person can unilaterally decide what content the public is allowed to access.” (08/18/25)

https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2025/08/book-bans-internet-bans-wyoming-lets-parents-control-whole-states-access-internet