UK VPN ban: Is the UK Government about to block VPNs?

Is the UK government going to ban VPNs?

The Online Safety Act, introduced last year, now mandates that websites, streaming services, and mobile apps that host adult material must implement robust age checks. This is all designed to stop those under 18 from accessing inappropriate content.

However, the requirements of these checks mean many Britons aged over 18 feel cautious about going through the Government-approved process themselves.

As a result, many people have turned to services like the best VPN deals to avoid going through processes that include face recognition and handing over their driving licence and passport details.

There have been conversations about the UK Government looking to ban VPNs in the UK, but there's no outright proposal currently.

More than half of British adults now believe VPNs should be off-limits for anyone under 18 in the UK, according to new research by YouGov. The survey found 55% of UK adults want to see the best VPN deals banned for all minors.

It's a response to growing fears that youngsters are using VPNs to dodge the robust age verification checks put in place by the Online Safety Act since late July. Elsewhere, researchers found that a large majority of people in the UK (69%) say they still support the new rules, including 46% who do so “strongly”.

Peter Kyle – Secretary of State for Science, Innovation, and Technology – has previously insisted there are no plans to outright ban VPNs. However, he admitted that Downing Street was looking "very closely" at how VPNs are being used.

In an interview with the BBC, Peter Kyle said: "For everybody who’s out there thinking of using VPNs, let me just say to you directly — verifying your age keeps a child safe, keeps children safe in our country. So, let’s just not try and find a way around. I just want to urge caution in how people are using them."

What does a VPN do, and why could it lead to a ban?

Award-winning VPNs like ExpressVPN encrypt everything you do online by routing all communication between your device and the website you're visiting via one of its servers. The encryption scrambles your data into an unreadable format, preventing third parties from monitoring your activity.

It costs as little as £1.99 a month, and you can connect up to 14 devices at the same time.

It stops advertisers, broadband providers, and even governments from checking what you've been up to online, as well as stopping age verification checks for sites that require them.

To keep everything secure, ExpressVPN relies on military-grade encryption that shields all your internet traffic from surveillance. Unlike free alternatives that compromise your security, ExpressVPN maintains a strict no-logs policy, ensuring your online activities remain completely private without risk of data harvesting or exposure to cyber criminals

The service utilises TrustedServer technology alongside proprietary Lightway protocol, delivering enhanced security and reliability whilst maintaining fast connection speeds.

You'll benefit from additional protection features, including an integrated ad blocker, Threat Manager that shields your device from malicious websites and trackers, plus ExpressVPN Keys - a built-in password manager that creates and stores unlimited passwords at no extra cost.

However, these systems alone won't let you swerve the mandatory age checks in place across the UK.

By picking a VPN server in another country, websites can no longer detect that you're browsing from within the UK, so the mandatory age checks and other restrictions imposed by the Online Safety Act vanish. It's really no different to what would happen if you jumped on a plane on holiday and tried to log in to any of these services from abroad. It's comparable to using a foreign phone box rather than your own mobile – the recipient can't identify your true location or identity.

Benefits of ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN lets you choose the VPN server location that your internet traffic is rerouted through, making it appear as if you've connected to the internet from that location instead of the UK.

The provider has apps for Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, Linux, Fire TV, Apple TV, routers, and even gaming consoles like PlayStation and Xbox. It offers 24/7 customer support and a 30-day money-back guarantee, which serves as a free trial when signing up for a longer contract to unlock the best VPN deal.

It also operates ultra-fast servers across 105 countries worldwide, with many locations featuring 10Gbps connections that ensure you experience minimal buffering and consistent streaming quality.

The service extends beyond traditional devices, offering compatibility with Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, Wi-Fi routers, and gaming consoles, including PlayStation and Xbox. You can even utilise MediaStreamer functionality to enable access on devices that typically don't support VPN connections.

This extensive platform coverage ensures you maintain consistent privacy protection across all your internet-connected devices, regardless of which operating system or hardware you prefer for browsing.

Its clever Device Groups feature, which is primarily available when running ExpressVPN on your Wi-Fi router, lets you connect different gadgets to specific geographic locations at the same time, so you could browse from a UK server on your laptop, but access content from another country on your smartphone.

This flexibility ensures you maintain privacy across all your devices without needing separate subscriptions, making ExpressVPN a cost-effective solution for comprehensive online protection.

ExpressVPN backs its service with a 30-day money-back guarantee, allowing you to test the platform risk-free before committing to a longer subscription. If you're hesitant about investing in a multi-year plan to secure the best pricing, this guarantee functions as an extended trial period where you can evaluate whether the service meets your privacy needs.

Should you encounter any difficulties whilst configuring your connection or navigating the age verification landscape, ExpressVPN provides round-the-clock customer support via live chat. Their support team can assist with installation, server selection, and troubleshooting, ensuring you maintain uninterrupted access to your preferred content whilst protecting your personal information from unnecessary exposure.