Mozilla urges UK regulators not to restrict VPNs in online safety push
Mozilla pushes back on VPN age-gating
Mozilla is warning UK regulators not to undermine virtual private networks as part of the government’s next round of online safety measures, arguing that VPNs are essential privacy and security tools rather than a problem to be restricted.
The intervention comes as the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology consults on additional steps to prepare young people for life in a digital world. The discussion follows growing concern about users bypassing age-assurance systems required under the UK’s Online Safety Act, with the consultation explicitly considering whether VPNs should be age-gated.
Mozilla said it supports efforts to address online harms affecting young people, but argued that blunt measures such as mandatory age assurance and limiting access to VPNs do not solve the underlying problem. Instead, the group said those approaches risk weakening privacy and security for everyone.
VPNs, Mozilla said, protect users by hiding IP addresses, reducing tracking and limiting IP-based profiling. They are used for a range of legitimate purposes, including connecting remotely to school or work networks, avoiding censorship and improving privacy online. The organization also stressed that access to VPNs is particularly important for vulnerable groups such as activists, dissidents and journalists.
Privacy tools as part of digital safety
Mozilla’s submission frames the issue as one of digital literacy and broader platform accountability rather than access restrictions. It said young people are already exposed to tracking, targeted advertising and data collection that can happen without adequate consent or transparency, and argued that limiting access to privacy-protecting tools runs against the goal of helping them navigate the internet safely and competently.
The group said young people should instead be introduced to best practices and key safety tools as part of growing up online. It urged regulators to focus on the root causes of harm by holding platforms to account, encouraging responsible use of parental controls and investing in digital skills.
Mozilla’s position reflects a broader concern that policies designed to protect children online can end up weakening the privacy and security infrastructure used by all internet users, if they are not carefully targeted.
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