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The UK government says it will provide more details this month on how virtual private networks (VPNs) fit into its sweeping online safety plans after confirming a nationwide ban on social media platforms serving children under 16.
“I can today announce live streaming, and stranger communication including in gaming, will be switched off by default for 16- and 17-year-olds,” Technology Secretary Liz Kendall said.[1] “And I will set out further details once our pilot schemes are finished in my next statement in July.”
No specific date has been set at this point, and Kendall has not yet outlined what those measures will entail. With that said, restricting access to VPNs could have consequences far beyond preventing children from bypassing age restrictions. For example, forcing adults to jump through regulatory hoops or log in with their IDs to use basic privacy tools discourages good cybersecurity practices, leaving everyday users exposed to identity theft.
While a government or institution can make using a VPN highly inconvenient, a total, foolproof ban is technologically near-impossible. In practice, trying to ban VPNs usually triggers a perpetual game of digital whack-a-mole. As soon as a government blocks one provider, users quickly migrate to alternative networks or stealth protocols, ensuring that the demand for privacy always outpaces a state's ability to police it.
Nevertheless, UK lawmakers aren't backing down, with some proposing ways to take the crackdown even further.
Kendall stated, “I am also strongly minded to bring in default overnight curfews and breaks in infinite scrolling for 16- and 17-year-olds,” though she acknowledged that “not everybody” supports her proposed bans.
"The only way such restrictions could be enforced effectively would be for VPN providers to require all users to undergo age-assurance measures," privacy advocacy group Big Brother Watch wrote in a February press release about the then-ongoing legislation. "Having to provide ID or a biometric face scan to access a VPN utterly defeats the point of a technology designed to enhance privacy online."
The group added that the ability to receive and share information free of government "snooping" is vital to living in a democratic society.
In the meantime, lawmakers prepare to implement one of the world's most far-reaching online safety regimes, with social media platforms including TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat, Facebook, X and YouTube expected to be barred from serving children under 16 beginning in early 2027 if the government's proposal is approved.
The government's latest comments are the newest chapter in a broader effort to tighten online safety rules for children.
The debate accelerated last year after age-verification requirements under the UK's Online Safety Act prompted a surge in VPN use across the country, which could allow users to bypass age checks.
“The implementation of the Act has driven a dramatic increase in VPN usage, with Proton VPN reporting a 1,400% spike in sign-ups within minutes of the law’s enforcement, and NordVPN noting a 1,000% rise in UK subscriptions,” Cyber Security Intelligence reported in July 2025.
Earlier this year, the government launched a public consultation examining additional protections for children online, including questions about whether VPNs should face age-related restrictions.
The consultation closed in May after drawing more than 116,000 responses from parents, children, charities, educators, medical professionals and others, according to Kendall.
VPNs encrypt internet traffic and mask a user's IP address, allowing them to appear as though they're browsing from another location. While they're widely used to improve online privacy and security, they can also allow users to bypass region-based restrictions or certain forms of age verification.
Exactly how effective VPNs would be at circumventing the UK's proposed under-16 social media ban remains unclear, as tech leaders point out that the devil is in the details. Windscribe CEO Yegor Sak told TechRadar that it depends entirely on how the government chooses to enforce the restrictions.
“If the check happens at the account level, app-store level, device level, payment level, or through identity verification, a VPN does not make a 15-year-old look 18,” Sak said.
In contrast, if platforms simply rely on a user's network location, a VPN could help users appear to be browsing from outside the UK.
The prospect of age-gating or restricting VPN services has drawn criticism from cybersecurity experts, privacy advocates and VPN providers, who argue the technology serves a much broader purpose than bypassing online restrictions.
According to TechRadar, Romain Digneaux, public policy manager at Proton VPN, said imposing age restrictions on VPNs would make it more difficult for millions of law-abiding users to access tools that protect their privacy and security.
Mozilla has also warned UK officials that requiring age verification for VPNs could undermine online privacy and security while doing little to improve child safety.
For now, the government has not announced what measures, if any, it plans to introduce for VPN services. Those details are expected later this month when ministers outline the next stage of the UK's online safety agenda.
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