- MPs push for review of VPN use
- It is part of a broader debate about the challenges facing the Online Safety Act
- It comes days after the UK Lords proposed a VPN ban for children.
MPs are considering whether VPN providers should be forced to implement age verification measures to prevent children from circumventing the Online Safety Act (OSA)
In a debate scheduled to discuss public opposition to the legislation, MPs took the opportunity to advocate for stricter rules on VPN use.
Many Brits have turned to the best VPN apps since mandatory age verification was implemented in July.
While evidence suggests that most of these are adults seeking to protect their privacy online, lawmakers are concerned that children are using the software to circumvent restrictions designed to protect them.
“We will not hesitate to go further”
Peter Fortune, Conservative MP for Bromley and Biggin Hill, asked the House: “Do you have [the Minister] “Do you agree that for the Online Safety Act to be successful, the use of VPNs must be further examined?”
Echoing Fortune’s comments, Labor MP Jim McMahon argued that VPN companies should be responsible for preventing children from bypassing checks. “Why are VPNs not within the scope of legislation to ensure they comply with age verification measures?” asked.
“Presumably, it is more difficult for the end website to know the origins of the user if they have gone through a VPN. Surely, the responsibility for complying with the law should fall on the VPN company,” he added.
UK Data and Digital Government Minister Ian Murray assured lawmakers that the government is already acting. As TechRadar previously reported, Ofcom is currently monitoring VPN usage to assess how these tools are used.
“We will not hesitate to go further if necessary,” Murray said.
It is unclear what future interventions might look like, although the debate offered some clues. According to Julia Lopez, Conservative MP for Hornchurch and Upminster, the government should consider “whether the age restriction should be applied more comprehensively, including using VPNs or through app stores or at device level to close those loopholes.”
This follows a decision by the UK Lords last week to table an amendment to the Schools and Child Welfare Bill that would ban VPNs for children. The proposal requires VPN companies to verify the age of all UK users, a move Winscribe’s CEO called the “dummest solution.”
While we wait to see how the debate plays out, these comments indicate lawmakers’ growing willingness to regulate security tools aimed at increasing online privacy for millions of Britons, both adults and children.
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