UK drops plan to restrict teen VPN use after survey shows privacy, not age verification, as main motive

The UK government has abandoned its plan to restrict or age-gate VPNs as part of new social media regulations for teenagers, after data showed many young people use VPNs for privacy and security rather than to bypass age checks. The reversal was confirmed by Online Safety Minister Kanishka Narayan on BBC Breakfast and reinforced by Technology Secretary Liz Kendall in a written parliamentary statement, TechRadar reported.

TechRadarNo, it's not age verification — privacy is the top reason UK children use a VPN

The decision came after a government survey found that 22% of children reported using a VPN in the previous three months, according to TechNadu. Further independent research commissioned by the UK Government found that between just 7 and 10% of British children use a VPN to bypass age verification, with privacy being the top reason.

TechNaduUK Government Finds Thousands of Children Turning to VPNs for Restricted Content

"No, it's not age verification , privacy is the top reason UK children use a VPN, according to independent research commissioned by the UK Government."

This finding directly contradicted the assumptions behind the proposed crackdown and helped shift the government's stance. Officials cited VPNs' legitimate privacy and security uses as the basis for the U-turn, TechRadar added.

"Data showed that many teenagers use VPNs for online safety rather than to bypass restrictions, leading the government to abandon the proposed crackdown."

TechNadu also reported that a significant number of children are turning to VPNs for restricted content, but the government's own research undermined the idea that age verification was the primary driver. The U-turn ensures VPNs remain unrestricted for young users who rely on them for legitimate security purposes.