A new proposal from Michigan Republicans is drawing alarm over its intent to criminalize vast portions of online speech, ban common privacy tools, and restrict depictions of transgender individuals in almost all public-facing content.
House Bill 4938, titled the “Anticorruption of Public Morals Act,” was introduced on September 11 and has been sent to the House Judiciary Committee for review.
Filed by Rep. Josh Schriver of Oxford and co-sponsored by five other Republican lawmakers, the bill lays out one of the most expansive attempts at state-level internet censorship in the country.
It demands that internet providers and platforms adopt round-the-clock surveillance systems, block the sale and use of VPNs, and prohibit a wide range of content that includes erotic AI material, sensual ASMR audio, pornographic manga, and anything representing transgenderism.
Schriver publicly stated, “Don’t make it, don’t share it, don’t view it,” and called for porn distributors to be added to the sex offender registry.
He framed the bill as necessary to protect children and claimed that current obscenity laws are outdated and rarely enforced.
The bill’s language defines “prohibited material” in broad terms. It covers depictions of sexual acts whether real or fictional, written or visual, and includes specific bans on “moaning or sensual voice content” as well as “erotic autonomous sensory meridian response content.”
It also criminalizes any portrayal of a transgender individual unless the context is strictly medical, instructional, or academic and peer-reviewed.
Under the bill, an individual or organization that distributes such material to anyone in the state could face up to 20 years in prison and a $100,000 fine. That increases to 25 years and $125,000 if over 100 instances of prohibited material are involved.
The legislation also demands that all websites, platforms, and ISPs operating in Michigan implement 24/7 automated surveillance and censorship systems to detect and remove flagged content immediately.
Companies would be forced to revise their terms of service to explicitly ban the covered content and comply with real-time enforcement protocols.
One of the most invasive aspects of the bill is its attack on VPN usage.
House Bill 4938 would make it illegal to sell or use virtual private networks within Michigan and would require internet providers to block any VPN activity. Fines for violations related to VPN use could reach $500,000.
VPNs are commonly used to secure online activity, prevent data collection, and protect users on public Wi-Fi. Criminalizing this technology would have widespread consequences for both individuals and businesses.
While, technologically speaking, banning VPNs would be an almost impossible task, the sentiment is still troubling for free speech supporters.
The bill makes no distinction between adults and minors when it comes to access. It applies to everyone in the state, regardless of age or consent, giving the government sweeping authority to regulate personal viewing habits, artistic expression, and the content people are allowed to publish or access online.
So far, there is no sign that the bill has support beyond its original six sponsors. It has not yet been voted on by the Michigan House or Senate. Still, legislation like this often serves as a model for similar efforts in other states.
