UK House of Lords votes to restrict VPN access for children

The UK House of Lords has backed an amendment to the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill that would ban VPN services from being provided to minors.

The vote and the growing pressure on privacy tools in the country were first reported by Tom’s Guide.

The amendment passed by 207 votes to 159. Under the proposal, the government would be required to introduce regulations within 12 months of the law coming into force that prohibit children from accessing what the bill defines as a “relevant VPN service.”

Supporters of the initiative say the measure is intended to protect children’s welfare, specifically by preventing the circumvention of online age-verification systems. Peers also voted in favor of banning social media access for users under the age of 16.

The Secretary of State for Science, Technology, and Innovation, Liz Kendall, also announced the launch of a three-month government consultation. One of its stated goals is to address concerns around the use of VPNs to bypass protective mechanisms. While a full ban on VPNs in the UK is still considered unlikely, experts point to increasing pressure on internet freedoms. The bill will now return to the House of Commons for further debate.

The Online Safety Act (OSA) was passed in July 2025. Its primary objective is to require technology companies to better protect minors from harmful content by implementing stricter age-verification systems. Critics, however, warn about the risks of large-scale personal data collection and potential cybersecurity threats.

In late July, reports indicated that demand for VPN services in the UK surged by 1,400% following the law’s adoption.

VPN demand surges 1400% in the UK following new age verification law

VPN usage in the UK has surged 1400% as users try to bypass new age verification rules under the Online Safety Act.

Durov's CodeIgor Savkin