Sir Keir Starmer has announced a proposed ban on major social media platforms for children under 16, but claims that a UK VPN ban is imminent are far from accurate. The prime minister, facing a potential leadership challenge from Andy Burnham, made the announcement at a press conference and did not mention VPNs.
What Was Actually Said
One politician noted that legislation might regulate VPN use by age, but no ban has been announced. Liz Kendall later appeared on BBC Breakfast, saying VPN restrictions were being "looked at". Labour cabinet member Kendall promised a "July update" on the topic. Children's minister Josh MacAlister told the BBC there were "options there about whether we could age-gate VPN use, which would be really welcome".
This sparked confusion on social media, with one X user claiming: "Britain is banning VPNs next month. Not even Russia or China are doing this." The claim has been amplified without research. However, a blanket VPN ban in the UK is not happening.
Expert Reassurance
Peter Kyle has already stated that a ban is "not on the cards" because VPNs are "essential to data protection for businesses". Victoria, a senior software architect in cyber security, explained: "A consumer VPN and a corporate VPN are the same protocols. Block VPNs at the network level and you nuke half the economy. No one's building a Great Firewall here. What's actually proposed is regulatory: age-gate the providers, lean on Apple and Google to pull the apps."
She added: "A self-hosted WireGuard box on a €4 VPS would be unaffected. Anyone technical can route around the entire thing in ten minutes."
Age Checks vs. Ban
MacAlister and the UK's Children's Commissioner Dame Rachel de Souza have called for age checks on VPNs, which is theoretically possible. But a complete ban is unlikely. VPNs remain legal in Australia, the country the UK is mimicking. Cybernews reports that the onus will likely be on social media companies to identify commercial VPN servers.
The Labour announcement outlined the timeline for the social media ban: "Decisive action expected to be brought to Parliament before Christmas, with protections coming into force in Spring 2027." The statement did not mention VPNs. It also said: "The government will go further than a blanket ban with world-leading blocks on harmful functions such as livestreaming and stranger communication for under-16s."
Restrictions will apply to gaming sites and be on by default for 16- and 17-year-olds. Overnight curfews and breaks in infinite scrolling for under-18s are also being considered, with more detail in July. VPN users can rest easy.
