We'd all like the internet to be a better place—for kids and adults alike. But in the name of online safety, governments around the world are racing to impose a dangerous new system of control. Are age gates the silver bullet to the internet's problems they're being promoted as? Or are we being sold a bill of goods? We're answering this question and more in [our latest EFFector newsletter](https://www.eff.org/effector/38/9). [JOIN OUR NEWSLETTER](https://eff.org/effector/) ### EFFector Newsletter: Your Guide to Tech, Law, and Civil Liberties For over 35 years, [**EFFector**](https://eff.org/effector) has been your guide to understanding the intersection of technology, civil liberties, and the law. This latest issue covers an attack on [VPNs in Utah](https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2026/04/utahs-new-law-regulating-vpns-goes-effect-next-week), a livestream on [how to disenshittify the internet](https://www.eff.org/event/effecting-change-enshittification), and California's proposed [social media ban](https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2026/04/act-now-stop-californias-paternalistic-and-privacy-destroying-social-media-ban) that could set a dangerous new precedent for online censorship. ### EFFector Now Available as a Podcast Prefer to listen in? **EFFector** is now available on all major podcast platforms. This time, we're having a conversation with **EFF** Legislative Analyst **Molly Buckley** on why social media bans can't sidestep the U.S. constitution. You can find the episode and subscribe on your podcast platform of choice: * [](https://open.spotify.com/show/6Q48ICplENdQ4ZarUIgfLZ) * [](https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/effector/id1882562931) * [](https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/83be1062-f511-47b3-bd2b-fc44e831c3ad) * [](https://feeds.eff.org/effector) ### Support the Fight for Online Freedom Want to help push back on these misguided regulations? Sign up for [**EFF's EFFector newsletter**](https://eff.org/effector) for updates, ways to take action, and new merch drops. You can also fuel the fight for privacy and free speech online when you [support EFF today](https://eff.org/join)!