The government has no plans to ban VPNs — which create a secure, encrypted connection over the internet — but is closely monitoring how young people use them.
It’s not surprising that lawmakers use VPNs given they “handle highly sensitive information daily,” from confidential government documents to private constituent communications, and often connect to unsecured networks when traveling or working remotely, said NordVPN’s Chief Technology Officer Marijus Briedis.
VPNs can “protect this data from potential interception by malicious actors or foreign state-sponsored surveillance” and make it harder for these groups to track officials’ whereabouts, he said.
For the public, too, VPNs “should be seen as a standard online security measure — much like encrypted communications and secure passwords,” said David Peterson, General Manager of Proton VPN.
But as VPN downloads skyrocketed in the U.K. this week after platforms implemented age checks to comply with extensive new duties under the Online Safety Act, Technology Secretary Peter Kyle appeared to suggest that their use put children at risk.
“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,” he told the BBC.