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Denmark scraps controversial VPN ban proposal after public backlash

Date:
Tue, 16 Dec 2025 14:25:44 +0000

Description:
Just days after proposing a bill that would have made it illegal to use a VPN
to bypass geoblocking, the Danish government has reversed its position
following a wave of criticism from digital rights groups and the public.

FULL STORY

The Danish government has abandoned a controversial legislative proposal that
would have banned the use of VPNs to access geo-restricted streaming content
and bypass website blocks. The move comes swiftly after the bill drew
widespread condemnation from digital rights advocates and the public, who
raised serious concerns about its impact on internet freedom. 

The Danish Minister for Culture, Jakob Engel-Schmidt, announced on Monday 
that he was cutting the contentious section from the bill. "I do not support
making VPNs illegal, and I have never proposed to do so," Engel-Schmidt said
in a statement . He admitted the initial text was "not formulated precisely
enough" and led to a fundamental misunderstanding of its purpose. 

The original proposal, part of a wider anti-piracy effort, sought to make it
illegal to "use VPN connections to access media content which would otherwise
not be available in Denmark, or to circumvent blocks on illegal websites."
This sparked alarm among privacy groups, who warned that the vague wording
could criminalize not only streaming enthusiasts but also ordinary citizens
using the best VPN services for legitimate privacy and security reasons.

The backlash was immediate and fierce. As reported last week , critics like
Jesper Lund of the IT Political Association described the proposal as having 
a "totalitarian feel to it" and warned it could go further than measures seen
in more authoritarian countries. This public pressure appears to have been
effective, forcing a rapid U-turn from the government. 

In his latest statement on the matter, Engel-Schmidt attempted to bring an 
end to the mounting debate surrounding the proposal. Pressure had been
increasing from both digital rights advocates and technology users who feared
that the new legislation might inadvertently restrict tools widely used for
online privacy and security. 

Addressing the confusion directly, Engel-Schmidt sought to quell the
controversy entirely. "I am therefore removing the section about VPNs from 
the proposal so there is no longer any doubt that I in no way wish to ban
VPNs," he clarified. 

His comment was intended to reassure the public that the government had no
intention of criminalizing or limiting the use of virtual private networks,
which citizens and businesses commonly use to ensure data protection and
secure access to online services. 

This reversal is a significant victory for privacy advocates in Denmark and
across Europe. It highlights the growing tension between aggressive copyright
enforcement and the fundamental digital rights of citizens. 

While the Danish government continues to push other controversial 
tech-related legislation, including its advocacy for the EU's "Chat Control"
bill , this episode demonstrates that public opposition can still force a
change of course. The rest of the anti-piracy bill will now proceed without
the clauses that caused such widespread alarm, leaving the right to use VPNs
in Denmark intact. 

======================================================================
Link to news story:
https://www.techradar.com/vpn/vpn-privacy-security/denmark-scraps-controversia
l-vpn-ban-proposal-after-public-backlash

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