UK Considers Restrictions on Children’s Use of VPNs Under Online Safety Reforms
Ministers examining whether virtual private networks used to bypass age checks should be limited for minors amid enforcement challenges
The UK government is examining whether to restrict or ban the use of virtual private networks by children as part of a broader effort to strengthen online safety protections.
The move follows concerns that minors are increasingly using VPN services to bypass age-verification systems introduced under the Online Safety Act, undermining measures designed to shield them from harmful or inappropriate content.
Officials have indicated that the review forms part of ongoing implementation work tied to new digital safety rules, which place greater responsibility on technology platforms to prevent children from accessing adult material.
While VPNs have legitimate uses — including protecting privacy and securing data — policymakers argue that they are being widely promoted on social media as tools to evade age checks, complicating enforcement of the new regime.
The government has not yet set out detailed proposals, but ministers have signalled that they are exploring technical and legal options.
These could include working with app stores to restrict downloads by under-18s, requiring stronger age-verification processes for VPN services, or imposing obligations on platforms to detect and block circumvention tools.
Any such move would require careful balancing of child protection objectives with privacy rights and cybersecurity considerations.
Digital rights advocates have cautioned against sweeping prohibitions, warning that VPNs are widely used by journalists, businesses and individuals concerned about online surveillance and data protection.
They argue that targeting misuse rather than restricting access outright would be a more proportionate response.
Technology companies are also expected to raise concerns about enforceability, noting that many VPN providers operate internationally and outside direct UK jurisdiction.
The debate comes as regulators prepare to enforce new compliance deadlines under the Online Safety Act, with companies facing significant fines if they fail to prevent children from accessing restricted content.
The communications regulator has already begun issuing guidance on age-assurance standards, and ministers have emphasised that protecting children online remains a central priority of the government’s digital policy agenda.
Whether that priority will translate into direct limits on VPN access for minors remains under consultation, but the discussion highlights the evolving tension between online safety enforcement and digital privacy tools.
The move follows concerns that minors are increasingly using VPN services to bypass age-verification systems introduced under the Online Safety Act, undermining measures designed to shield them from harmful or inappropriate content.
Officials have indicated that the review forms part of ongoing implementation work tied to new digital safety rules, which place greater responsibility on technology platforms to prevent children from accessing adult material.
While VPNs have legitimate uses — including protecting privacy and securing data — policymakers argue that they are being widely promoted on social media as tools to evade age checks, complicating enforcement of the new regime.
The government has not yet set out detailed proposals, but ministers have signalled that they are exploring technical and legal options.
These could include working with app stores to restrict downloads by under-18s, requiring stronger age-verification processes for VPN services, or imposing obligations on platforms to detect and block circumvention tools.
Any such move would require careful balancing of child protection objectives with privacy rights and cybersecurity considerations.
Digital rights advocates have cautioned against sweeping prohibitions, warning that VPNs are widely used by journalists, businesses and individuals concerned about online surveillance and data protection.
They argue that targeting misuse rather than restricting access outright would be a more proportionate response.
Technology companies are also expected to raise concerns about enforceability, noting that many VPN providers operate internationally and outside direct UK jurisdiction.
The debate comes as regulators prepare to enforce new compliance deadlines under the Online Safety Act, with companies facing significant fines if they fail to prevent children from accessing restricted content.
The communications regulator has already begun issuing guidance on age-assurance standards, and ministers have emphasised that protecting children online remains a central priority of the government’s digital policy agenda.
Whether that priority will translate into direct limits on VPN access for minors remains under consultation, but the discussion highlights the evolving tension between online safety enforcement and digital privacy tools.
