Ethan Carter
Polymarket, the online prediction platform, has begun blocking IP addresses associated with VPNs and is requiring some users to verify their identities, as reported by The Information.
Due to compliance with regional regulations and international sanctions, Polymarket is inaccessible in 33 countries and various regions. users in these locations could theoretically employ a Virtual Private Network (VPN) to conceal their actual location. The Information indicates that Polymarket is now taking measures to complicate VPN usage by blocking specific IP addresses linked to VPN services and restricting accounts exhibiting suspicious connection behaviors.
If Polymarket fails to implement its official policies effectively, it may face regulatory repercussions, according to The Information.
Mashable Light Speed
Polymarket is reportedly requesting some customers to provide their identities to “gain access to faster trading technology,” signaling a departure from the platform’s previous anonymous trading model, as noted by TechRadar.
This announcement occurs amidst a wider crackdown on VPN usage in the United States and beyond. For instance, Utah has enacted a ban on using VPNs to access pornography websites, although the law will not take effect for adult sites like Pornhub until September. The UK is also contemplating a VPN prohibition for minors following a surge in usage after the implementation of its age verification legislation, the Online Safety Act.
Age verification laws mandate proof of age, which can include government-issued identification or facial recognition scans, to access explicit content or material considered “harmful to minors.” Two recent studies examining these emerging laws suggest they do not effectively prevent minors from accessing pornographic sites and may infringe upon adults’ First Amendment rights under U.S. law.
Last year, First Amendment experts cautioned Mashable about VPN bans being a form of “second-order censorship.” When individuals circumvent initial regulations, such as age verification requirements, it often leads to further restrictions.
Daniel Mercer
