UK Consults on Potential VPN Restrictions Amid Online Safety Concerns

The UK government has launched a public consultation on whether to introduce age restrictions for Virtual Private Networks (VPNs), following a surge in VPN downloads after age-verification rules for adult websites came into force last year.

The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology is seeking opinions from parents, industry, and the public on how children may be using VPNs to bypass online safety rules. The consultation, open until 26 May, asks whether universal age checks for VPN access could be effective and what impact such measures might have on ordinary users who rely on the services for privacy and security.

VPN usage in the UK more than doubled after the introduction of age assurance requirements in July 2025, rising from approximately 650,000 daily users to over 1.4 million by mid-August.

Cybersecurity experts, however, say restricting VPNs would be difficult to enforce. Corey Nachreiner of WatchGuard Technologies points out that while UK-based providers might comply, many VPN services operate from jurisdictions beyond UK legal reach. VPN technology is also designed to blend with normal internet traffic, making detection challenging.

Digital rights campaigners question whether restrictions would improve online safety. The Open Rights Group's James Baker stated there is "little evidence" that young people are using VPNs to bypass digital ID checks, and that age-gating could deter adults from using legitimate privacy tools.

A government spokesperson said ministers "make no apology for holding platforms to account" to prevent children from bypassing safety protections, but acknowledged VPNs serve legitimate purposes, including privacy and security. The consultation aims to ensure any measures are "targeted and proportionate."