US DEFEND IP Act targets ISPs and DNS, but exempts VPNs

Senator Thom Tillis and Representative Zoe Lofgren introduced the bicameral DEFEND IP Act, which lets courts order blocking of foreign piracy sites. Broadband providers with 50,000+ subscribers and public DNS resolvers earning over $100 million a year fall under the rules, while VPN services are explicitly exempted.

• Blocking orders would cover ISPs with 50,000+ subscribers and DNS resolvers earning $100M+
• VPN services that encrypt and route traffic are explicitly carved out of the bill
• Courts must first designate a site as foreign piracy, then issue a one-year block order
• Digital rights groups call the bill an expansive censorship infrastructure