We have decided not to limit VPNs’
Online Saftey minister Kanishka Narayan told BBCBreakfast the Government has decided not to restrict access to Virtual Private Networks (VPN) as part of a social media ban for under 16s, despite initially suggesting it would take action
'We have decided not to limit VPNs'
Online Saftey minister Kanishka Narayan told #BBCBreakfast the Government has decided not to restrict access to Virtual Private Networks (VPN) as part of a social media ban for under 16s, despite initially suggesting it would take action… pic.twitter.com/pP94b81aeR
— BBC Breakfast (@BBCBreakfast) July 15, 2026
lol, it’s because it’s too hard to ban them.
They 100% would ban VPN’s if they could
Children’s circumvention behaviours online
Published 14 July 2026
A small but important win today. The government has confirmed it will not restrict public access to VPNs as part of its social media ban.
While we can celebrate this moment of recognition, we must remain vigilant. It is encouraging that ministers have listened to campaigners who warned that VPNs are vital cybersecurity tools for our safety and anonymity, relied upon by journalists, whistleblowers and ordinary citizens.
However, in the grand scheme of things, this is only a partial reprieve.
The government is still ploughing ahead with a flawed social media ban that will necessitate mass age verification, putting both children’s and adults’ sensitive data at risk. We must never assume this broader threat to our digital rights has been put to bed for good.
A small but important win today. The government has confirmed it will not restrict public access to VPNs as part of its social media ban.
While we can celebrate this moment of recognition, we must remain vigilant. It is encouraging that ministers have listened to campaigners who… https://t.co/YmRU64bfKC
— Labour Digital Rights Network (@LabDRN) July 15, 2026
h/t A Deplorable Neanderthal