‘Many people want to use VPNs for privacy—that is important—but we know that some children use them to get around restrictions’: UK government considering VPN ban
The UK government is considering VPN restrictions or an Australia-style social media ban for users under 16, according to Prime Minister Keir Starmer. The move comes as the UK’s Online Safety Act mandates age verification on websites, with checks typically carried out by third-party vendors that often require users to provide government ID scans or facial recognition data.
The proposed measures aim to protect children from accessing age-restricted content and platforms. However, the government acknowledges the tension between this goal and legitimate privacy uses of VPNs. Officials stated that while “many people want to use VPNs for privacy—that is important,” they recognize that “some children use them to get around restrictions.”
The age verification requirement has already created friction for users. Those attempting to bypass identity checks using VPNs have found themselves locked out of certain features on platforms like Bluesky, forcing a choice between privacy measures and platform access.
The proposal exemplifies the ongoing regulatory challenge of protecting minors online while preserving user privacy and freedom. The UK’s approach mirrors Australia’s social media restrictions but extends to broader technology use, though specific implementation details remain unclear.