Policy · 1h ago
Privacy, not age checks, drives UK kids to VPNs
A UK government-commissioned study found only 7-10% of British children use VPNs to bypass age verification. Instead, privacy is the top reason, with kids seeking to protect personal data online. The research highlights a shift in young users' digital priorities toward security over content access.
Meridian48 take
The low bypass rate suggests age-gating efforts may be less of a cat-and-mouse game than assumed, but the privacy motive underscores a broader trust deficit in online platforms.
Read the full reporting
No, it's not age verification — privacy is the top reason UK children use a VPN →
TechRadar
childrenvpn