Brits call for VPN ban for minors to curb Online Safety Act loopholes
A majority of Britons believe children under 18 should be banned from using Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) following a recent surge, a survey has found.
Research from YouGov found that 55 per cent of the public supports a ban for minors, while only 20 per cent think they should be allowed to use them.
This comes as the UK’s Online Safety Act, designed to protect children from harmful online content, faces challenges from tech-savvy young people using VPNs to bypass new age verification measures.
The debate over VPNs has intensified since the act came into force on 25 July.
The children’s commissioner for England, Dame Rachel de Souza, has called on the government to close the “most obvious loophole” in the new regime, urging ministers to compel VPN providers to implement “highly effective age assurance” to prevent children from accessing pornographic content.
De Souza’s recent report warns that without action, the government’s new rules risk being rendered “inadequate”.
The VPN workaround and a surge in use
Early signs from web analytics firm Similarweb suggest the new law is having an impact, with Pornhub’s UK traffic reportedly falling by 47 per cent in the days following the crackdown.
However, this has driven a corresponding surge in the use of VPNs. Proton, a top VPN provider, saw a 1,400 per cent increase in sign-ups from UK users just minutes after the age verification rules took effect.
Fraser Mitchell, chief product officer at compliance experts SmartSearch, warns that these “geolocation loopholes” are undermining the entire intent of the legislation.
“For just a few pounds a month, anyone can download an app, select a different country, and instantly appear to be logging in from a jurisdiction where age restrictions don’t apply”, Mitchell said.
He argued that this not only enables underage access but also creates a ‘blind spot’ for criminals, raising red flags for fraud risks like identity theft and money laundering.
A government spokesperson has maintained that there are “no plans to ban” VPNs for adults, calling them “legal tools”.
They added that platforms that “deliberately push workarounds like VPNs to children” will face enforcement and heavy fines.
Beyond regulation
The conversation has moved beyond mere regulation, with some industry experts arguing that solely relying on bans and controls is a losing battle.
Hugh Shepherd, founder of Liaura, a new social media platform for children, said that “children today are true digital natives”, who need more than just barriers.
He has called for a broader approach that combines regulation with digital skills education to help young people navigate the online world safely.
This sentiment has been echoed by privacy and security experts who warn that banning or restricting VPNs would come with significant collateral damage.
Graeme Stewart, head of public sector at Check Point Software, noted that it would be “legislation against cybersecurity and privacy”.
Many schools, for example, rely on VPNs for students to securely access internet systems and research databases from home.
By trying to block kids from bypassing age gates, critics argue, the government risks disrupting the very digital infrastructure that keeps lessons, exams, and research running.