The UK government has abandoned plans that could have restricted the use of virtual private networks (VPNs) to enforce its upcoming social media rules for children, opting instead to focus on new safety measures for older teenagers. The decision follows weeks of criticism from privacy advocates, cybersecurity experts, and the VPN industry, who warned that limiting VPN access would weaken online security and be difficult to enforce.
Concerns about a possible VPN crackdown emerged after ministers suggested they were considering ways to stop children from using the technology to bypass age-based social media restrictions. The comments triggered widespread speculation online that the UK intended to ban VPNs altogether. However, the government has not introduced legislation prohibiting VPN services, and officials have now moved away from that approach.
Instead, the government has unveiled plans for a default overnight social media curfew for 16 and 17-year-olds. Under the proposal, supported platforms would automatically restrict access between midnight and 6 a.m., although teenagers would be able to disable the setting if they choose. The measures also include disabling features such as infinite scrolling and autoplay by default in an effort to reduce excessive screen time and improve sleep.
The curfew builds on the government’s previously announced plan to ban children under 16 from creating or maintaining accounts on major social media platforms. That legislation is expected to be introduced to Parliament later this year, with the new protections scheduled to take effect in spring 2027 if approved.
Privacy advocates welcomed the decision not to pursue VPN restrictions, but continue to question whether broader age-verification requirements could affect online privacy. Cybersecurity specialists have also argued that VPNs remain an essential security tool for businesses, journalists, remote workers, and ordinary internet users seeking to protect their internet traffic from interception.
The government’s latest announcement has done little to quiet debate on social media, where some users continue to claim that VPN restrictions could return in the future. At present, however, there is no proposal before Parliament that would ban VPNs or prevent adults from using them. The government’s focus has shifted toward platform-based safeguards and default protections designed to reduce young people’s exposure to harmful content rather than restricting privacy tools themselves.