A lot of people hear the term “VPN” and think it is something hackers use, or something you only need if you are trying to hide something. That could not be further from the truth.
A VPN is one of the simplest and most important tools for staying safe online.
Here is what it actually does, in plain English.
What is a VPN?
A VPN (Virtual Private Network) creates a secure, encrypted tunnel between your device and the internet.
That tunnel does two important things:
1. It hides your location and IP address.
Websites, advertisers, data brokers, and bad actors cannot easily track where you are connecting from.
2. It protects your internet traffic from being seen.
Your internet provider, public Wi-Fi networks, and anyone trying to snoop on your connection cannot read what you are doing. They only see encrypted data.
That is it. Nothing sneaky. Nothing illegal. Just a safer connection.
Why is a VPN important?
Because without one, almost everything you do online is visible to someone—your ISP, advertisers, shady Wi-Fi hotspots, or anyone who wants to build a profile about you.
Here are some real-world reasons a VPN matters:
• Remote work
Companies use VPNs to protect confidential information when employees work from home.
• Protecting personal information
A VPN helps shield your location, your browsing history, and the apps you use.
• Safety for vulnerable people
Survivors of abuse, LGBTQ individuals in unsupportive environments, activists, and journalists rely on VPNs for basic safety.
• Security on public Wi-Fi
A VPN prevents hotels, airports, cafés, and anyone on the same network from seeing your activity.
• Privacy from data brokers and advertisers
Without a VPN, companies track your movements online and build detailed profiles to sell.
• General peace of mind
Most of us do very normal things online: pay bills, check health portals, communicate with family. None of that should be exposed.
The key point: VPNs are everyday tools
You are not “hiding something” if you use a VPN.
You are protecting something—your privacy, your identity, your safety, your work, and your family.
Millions of people use VPNs every day and never think twice about it.
They are as normal as using a seatbelt or locking your front door.
Why states trying to ban VPNs is a problem
When lawmakers try to ban or restrict VPNs, they are not stopping criminals.
They are stopping teachers, parents, remote workers, students, small businesses, nonprofit employees, and ordinary people from using basic digital safety tools.
Banning a VPN is no different from banning locks because someone might misuse one.
It hurts everyone more than it helps.
Read my full analysis on why state-level VPN bans won’t protect kids and will weaken online privacy for everyone:
Over the last few months, a troubling trend has cropped up in state legislatures—including right here in Michigan. Lawmakers are proposing bills that would effectively ban or cripple the use of VPNs, the privacy tools millions of people rely on every day. The stated goal is to “protect children” from harmful content.
That’s a goal every reasonable person supports.
But the methods being proposed show a serious misunderstanding of how the internet works—and they risk doing far more harm than good.
Before we let policymakers break the tools that protect our privacy, security, and even our livelihoods, we need to talk about what’s happening and why it matters.
What’s Going On in Wisconsin and Michigan
Wisconsin
Wisconsin’s bill (A.B. 105 / S.B. 130) requires websites offering anything that might be considered sexual content to:
Implement age verification, and
Block access for all VPN users in Wisconsin.
Here’s the problem:
There’s no way for a website to reliably detect “Wisconsin VPN users” versus VPN users from anywhere else. If Wisconsin forces sites to block VPNs, most sites will simply block all VPN traffic nationwide—or stop serving Wisconsin entirely.
VPN users lose.
Remote workers lose.
Journalists, activists, and vulnerable people lose.
All because a legislature doesn’t understand how routing and encryption work.
Michigan
Michigan has been weighing a similar proposal, framed as an adult-content bill—but with language that would make ISPs liable if they “enable circumvention tools” like VPNs.
What do you do if your ISP could be punished because you used a VPN?
Simple: the ISP blocks VPN traffic.
Not just for adult sites—for everything.
Remote work? Tough.
Secure client data? Not possible.
Privacy for everyday citizens? Gone.
The intention may be to keep minors away from explicit content, but the real outcome is a de facto state-level ban on encryption tools that everyday people depend on.
VPNs Aren’t a Loophole—They’re a Lifeline
Lawmakers keep talking about VPNs like they’re some shady way to sneak around the rules.
In reality, VPNs are basic digital hygiene.
Businesses use them to secure remote employees
Universities use them to protect research and records
Medical professionals use them for patient confidentiality
Survivors of domestic abuse use them to hide their location
LGBTQ+ people in hostile environments rely on them for safety
Journalists and whistleblowers use them to stay alive
Normal citizens use them to prevent advertisers, stalkers, and data brokers from profiling them
This is not fringe technology.
This is core infrastructure—like seatbelts for your data.
Trying to ban VPNs because some minors might use them to bypass age restrictions is like banning curtains because someone could hide behind them.
You Cannot Secure Children by Making Everyone Less Safe
Here’s the heart of the matter:
Protecting children is important.
Breaking the privacy and security of millions of adults is not the way to do it.
There are ways to help kids stay safe online:
Parental controls built into devices
Filtered profiles for teens and younger kids
Open communication within families
Tools created by platforms themselves
Optional content restrictions
Screen time management
Education, not surveillance
But requiring adults to hand over government IDs to random websites—and then banning VPNs so people can’t protect their privacy—doesn’t protect anyone. It simply encourages data breaches, government overreach, and mass surveillance.
No parent I know wants the state to build a database of what their family watches online.
No ordinary adult wants to scan their driver’s license to look at legal content.
No business wants remote employees suddenly unable to log in securely.
We can keep children safe without turning private lives inside out.
The Technical Reality: VPN Bans Won’t Work
The bills assume a site can identify and block VPN users on a state-by-state basis.
It can’t.
VPNs route traffic through encrypted tunnels.
Users from ten different countries may emerge from the same VPN server.
Sites have two practical choices:
Block all VPN users, everywhere.
Shut down access to the state entirely.
That’s why digital-rights groups are warning that these laws could break remote work, break online privacy, and break basic internet functionality.
You don’t secure children by crippling the internet for everyone else.
The Dangerous Precedent
If a state can ban privacy tools to enforce morality laws, what comes next?
Banning VPNs to block political speech?
Blocking out-of-state news sites?
Tracking residents’ browsing habits?
Requiring ID for all “harmful” information, however that gets defined next session?
This is exactly the slippery slope countries like China, Russia, and Iran have taken—where blocking VPNs is step one toward broader censorship systems.
That is not the road we want to start down in the United States.
A Better Approach: Privacy and Protection Together
We can absolutely help parents and guardians keep minors away from material they shouldn’t see.
But we can do it without:
logging IDs
tracking everyone’s activity
dismantling remote work
exposing people to harassment
weakening cybersecurity
or restricting access to legal content for adults
Privacy does not have to disappear for protection to exist.
A healthy society needs both.
Where We Go From Here
If you live in Michigan or Wisconsin, this is the moment to reach out to your representatives and say:
“Protect children, absolutely.
But do not dismantle privacy tools.
Do not break the internet to solve a problem we can address in better ways.”
Groups like the EFF and Fight for the Future are already sounding the alarm, but lawmakers need to hear directly from the people who rely on these tools — people like us.
I use a VPN every day to protect my work, my clients, and my privacy. Many of you do too.
Privacy isn’t something only criminals want.
It’s something every adult deserves.
Further Reading & Sources
Official Bill Text
Here are direct links to the proposed state bills discussed in the post.
Campaign Against VPN Restrictions (2025) https://www.fightforthefuture.org/ (Look for their action page “Don’t Ban VPNs” which launched in response to these bills.)
“VPNs, Age Verification, and the Future of Online Privacy” https://www.wired.com/ (Search “VPN age verification”—several Wired pieces explain why VPNs are essential to digital safety.)
Before digital tools, before online tutorials, before Photoshop… there was the airbrush. In 1984, mine became more than just an art tool—it became the start of my creative life.
In the early 1980s, I was living in Los Angeles, still searching for the path my career would ultimately take. I did carpentry work, explored acting and set design, and bartended. Then, one day, on a whim, I purchased an airbrush. That decision became a turning point in my life. I spent every spare moment learning how to use it. This was long before the internet, so my “teachers” were the articles and tutorials I found in magazines.
In 1984, I visited Otis College of Art and Design—known then as Otis Art Institute of Parsons School of Design. I met with a counselor to discuss going back to school, and she suggested I start with a couple of classes. I enrolled in an airbrush course and a photorealistic illustration course. I absolutely loved both, as well as the instructors who taught them. Those classes gave me the skills and artistic direction that would shape the rest of my career.
During that time, I created the two illustrations you see here.
The first, Crowned Crane, was my project for the photorealistic illustration class. It’s a mix of airbrush, paint, and colored pencil, based on a photo I took of a crane at the San Diego Zoo.
The second piece was created in the airbrush class. At the time, I thought it would be fun—and a bit ironic—to create a photorealistic illustration of my own airbrush, using the airbrush itself.
Illustration of an airbrush that I did in 1984, while attending Otis Art Institute of Parsons School of Design, Los Angeles.
Looking back, that period in my life feels magical. It set me on a creative path that has lasted decades. I will always be grateful to my instructors, Barry Farr and Judy Unger, for teaching me skills I would carry forward for years to come.
I’m excited to share that I’ve launched a print collection featuring the exquisite glass sculptures of Craig Mitchell Smith—photographed by me for his new book Heart of Glass. With Craig’s permission, these fine art prints are now available to collectors, fans, and anyone who loves the interplay of glass and light.
This is just the beginning. I recently returned from Brookgreen Gardens, where I photographed Craig’s newest installation in a breathtaking outdoor setting. These new images will be added to the gallery soon, so stay tuned!
Thank you for supporting Craig’s extraordinary vision—and my journey to capture it through the lens.
I’m excited to announce Rick Stringer Photography, my new DBA under Rick Stringer Creative Services, LLC.
While I’ve spent decades immersed in design and visual storytelling, photography has become my new passion—a creative path that’s taken center stage in recent years. From capturing the changing light across Michigan landscapes to working with artists and nonprofits, I’ve found real joy and purpose behind the lens.
The launch of Rick Stringer Photography gives this work its own identity. You’ll start seeing the new logo and signature mark on future projects and prints:
Thanks for your continued support as this creative journey evolves. I’m looking forward to what’s next—and to sharing more of the world through my lens.
I’m excited to share that Voyage Michigan Magazine recently interviewed me for their Rising Stars series! This was a great opportunity to reflect on my journey—where I started, where I’ve been, and where I’m headed next.
The Artistic Path: From Airbrushing to Photography
My creative journey has taken many turns over the years. It all began with an impulse purchase of an airbrush while working as a bartender in Los Angeles. That simple decision opened up a world of artistic exploration, leading me to study at the Otis Parsons School of Design and eventually work on a large-scale airbrush mural.
Fast forward through decades of creative evolution—from working in design and illustration to eventually founding Rick Stringer Creative Services, LLC—and I now find myself fully immersed in the world of photography. What started as a side passion has become my primary artistic focus.
Capturing Art Through Photography
One of the most exciting projects I’ve had the privilege of working on is photographing the glass art of Craig Mitchell Smith. Our collaboration has taken me to incredible places, including the stunning outdoor exhibition at The Museum of The Shenandoah Valley. These photos, along with others, will be featured in a book about Craig’s life and work, set to be published later this year.
Beyond that, I’ve been exploring fine art photography, landscapes, and still life, constantly finding new ways to express my artistic vision.
Challenges and Growth
No creative journey is without its challenges. Finding my own artistic voice has been an ongoing process, and transitioning from one medium to another has required adaptability and patience. But through it all, I’ve had incredible support—especially from my wife, Cindee, who continues to be my biggest inspiration and muse.
I’d love to hear your thoughts! Feel free to reach out, connect, or share your own creative experiences. And if you’re looking for a photographer to bring your artistic vision to life, let’s talk!
I was recently interviewed by CanvasRebel Magazine! This opportunity came my way thanks to my friend Jennifer Harsha Carroll, who kindly recommended me to them. I’m truly honored and humbled to be considered for such a feature.
In the interview, I delve into my creative journey, the projects I’m passionate about, and some insights I’ve gathered along the way. It’s a candid glimpse into my world, and I’d love for you to read it.
Check out the full interview at CanvasRebel and join me in this exciting highlight of my career:
I’m thrilled to announce some significant news: I am now the official photographer for renowned glass artist, Craig Mitchell Smith. This collaboration presents an immense opportunity for me to venture into new creative avenues.
One of Craig Mitchell Smith’s glass works of art.
Craig’s talent in glasswork is unparalleled, making him a standout in the world of art.
Our journey began a couple of years ago when friends introduced us to Craig and his husband, Rick. At that time, he had an exhibition at Dow Gardens in Midland, Michigan. With the exhibit scheduled to end the following week, my wife, Cindee and I felt an immediate urge to experience it before it concluded. And it was nothing short of extraordinary—a testament to the beauty of Craig’s craftsmanship.
Earlier this year, we had the privilege of house sitting for Craig and Rick, ensuring their home and garden near the picturesque Lake Michigan, close to Charlevoix, remained in top condition during their travels. Their yard showcased an impressive collection of Craig’s art. On a whim, I decided to photograph these exquisite pieces. Many of you might have glimpsed them on my Facebook page.
Then, this summer, Craig reached out with an intriguing proposition. He has an upcoming show at the Museum of Shenandoah Valley in Winchester, VA. To my astonishment, Craig wanted me to be his official photographer for this exhibition! Despite identifying primarily as an artist and not having a significant reputation in photography, Craig believed that I captured his work’s essence better than any other photographer he’d collaborated with. I was deeply honored by such a profound compliment.
Over recent months, I’ve made several visits to Craig and Rick, documenting Craig’s latest creations. This experience has undoubtedly enhanced my photography skills, and I eagerly anticipate where this journey might lead me next.
Today marked another milestone. I submitted a collection of photographs to the Museum of Shenandoah Valley. The adventure doesn’t stop here; I’ll be traveling to Winchester next year to capture the exhibition’s setup and its final display.
While there’s another exciting project on the horizon, it’s a tad early to spill the beans. Stay tuned for that revelation in a future post!
Jim Young stood before the vast, blank expanse of the Right Brain Brewery wall, located in the heart of Traverse City, Michigan. With the mural’s design clear in his mind, he realized that this vision would require more than just his hands. That’s when Ashley Sorvisto and I stepped in, eager to tackle the challenge. Russell Springsteen, the owner of Right Brain, had long dreamt of a mural enhancing that wall, and with our combined talents, that dream was on the verge of becoming a reality.
Right Brain Brewery Mural
Jim’s initial concept aimed to encapsulate the unique spirit of Right Brain. However, faced with city regulations, he showcased his flexibility. Refocusing his design on the fundamental ingredients of beer, Jim’s rendition highlighted water, grain, and hops, aiming to represent these elements in their purest, most captivating form.
Once the design was finalized, Ashley and I joined the project. Our collective goal was to preserve the integrity of Jim’s unique style. Every brushstroke we made was in homage to his original vision, and the synergy of our collaboration radiated from the finished work.
Choosing latex paint, Jim intentionally forwent the ease of spray cans. This decision was a reflection of the artisanal ethos of Right Brain Brewery. As vibrant hues began to materialize on the wall, it didn’t take long for intrigued onlookers to stop and admire, their appreciative glances and words of praise becoming a familiar and heartening refrain.
For Jim, this endeavor marked a departure from his customary solitary undertakings. Teaming up with Ashley and me, however, opened up new vistas of creativity, showcasing the wonders of collaborative artistry.
For Ashley, this project was a rejuvenating experience. Beyond the brilliant colors she contributed, the endeavor reinvigorated her passion for art. She mused about the invaluable discussions we had, be it selecting the ideal colors or fine-tuning the mural’s proportions.
Personally, I had never embarked on such a direct wall painting project before. The experience was enlightening and will forever be etched in my memory.
As the day waned and dusk bathed our mural in a soft, golden light, we paused to admire our collective creation. The Right Brain Brewery wall was no longer just brick and mortar; it was a canvas telling a tale of beer, innovation, and the splendor of teamwork—a narrative we were immensely proud of.
Recently, I’ve been experimenting with the Adobe Photoshop beta, particularly its AI features, and I must say they’re truly impressive.
Not long ago, my wife and I visited the Charlevoix area. During a walk with a friend, we captured several stunning photos. One in particular caught my attention, and I felt the urge to experiment with it.
Here’s the original photo:
This image of a mushroom was snapped using my iPhone. Curious about the capabilities of the new Photoshop, I opened the image in the beta version and used the generative fill to expand the background. The outcome surprised me. The integration of the artificial part with the real image is smooth.
Taking my experimentation a step further, I modified the mushroom to remove its indentation. Here’s the modified image:
Then, an idea struck me: why not add a mystical touch? I used MidJourney to create a fairy and then integrated it into the photo using Photoshop.
The advancements in Adobe Photoshop, especially with the integration of AI, have left me in awe. The future holds immense possibilities, and I can’t wait to see where technology takes this platform.
