Online freedom isn’t a free pass for law evasion

There’s a smug little chorus swelling online: “Just use a VPN.” As if the Online Safety Act were some minor inconvenience that can be sidestepped with a few clicks and a spoofed IP address. Romanian server. Adult content unlocked. Job done.

I write not as an alarmist, but as a recently retired cybersecurity analyst with a background in Governance, Risk & Compliance.

What VPNs Actually Do (and Don’t)

VPNs create encrypted tunnels between your device and a remote server. In business, this enables secure access to corporate systems. For personal use, though, things get murky.

VPN marketers love the word “safety.” But here’s the reality:

  • Today’s internet traffic runs over HTTPS. That means 128-bit encryption, which won’t be cracked until quantum computing arrives—i.e., not this century.

  • Modern browsers flag fraudulent certificates and suspicious websites. MITM attacks? Already covered by Chrome, Safari, and standard security suites.

  • What VPNs do best is hide your IP address—and that's where they slide from privacy tool to circumvention device.

There’s little left to argue technically. The “security” benefits are either overstated or already baked into everyday browsing.

VPNs Are Being Used to Sabotage the Online Safety Act

Since the OSA came into force on 25 July 2025

  • VPN downloads in the UK have surged by over 1,800%.

  • Proton VPN topped the App Store, beating TikTok and WhatsApp.

  • Ofcom itself conceded that “determined teenagers” will bypass age-verification rules using VPNs.

This isn’t theoretical. It’s happening in real time. VPNs are actively undermining Parliament’s efforts to protect minors.

The Impact on Parents Is Immediate—and Alarming

When a child installs a VPN:

  • ISP-level filters no longer apply.

  • Parental controls at the router and on the device are easily bypassed.

  • Visibility into what content they’re accessing is lost.

If your child has a VPN installed, you are not in control. You’re in the dark.

So yes: check your child’s phone. If you find VPN software installed, ask some pointed questions. You may not like the answers.

A Policy Proposal That Preserves Privacy—but Closes the Loopholes

We don’t need to ban VPNs. We need to regulate their cross-border usage. Here’s how:

  • Allow legitimate use cases—journalism, academic research, and remote work should remain accessible.

  • Require registration of VPN providers serving UK traffic—with audit trails and transparency reports.

  • Mandate ISP filtering of unregistered VPN traffic—just as they currently block malware and phishing domains.

  • Enforce VPN detection at OS and app level—to support parental controls and digital well-being tools.

This isn’t about surveillance. It’s about upholding the integrity of democratic legislation. The tools exist. What’s missing is political will.

The Libertarian Objections Are Predictable—and Weak

Expect the usual protests:

“Privacy!” “Government overreach!” “Tech freedom!”

But VPNs aren’t civil liberties. They’re software utilities with commercial goals. Used legitimately, they support a free society. Used deceptively, they undermine it.

If a 14-year-old routes their device through Belize to access extreme adult content, we don’t call that empowerment. We call that a loophole. And it’s one that must be closed.

Final Word: Laws Must Mean Something

VPNs are currently enabling mass non-compliance with the Online Safety Act. What Parliament said must happen—age verification before accessing adult material—is being undone with ease.

Until this is addressed through regulation, the law remains symbolic. And digital sovereignty remains porous.

So if government stalls, parents must act. Privacy must remain sacred—but the misuse of VPNs is not privacy. It’s evasion.

AI Disclosure & Transparency Note
This article was created using an extensive AI-driven workflow for initial research and drafting. The text was subsequently edited, rewritten, and polished by me to reflect my personal writing style and remove typical AI phrasing. While the tone and structure are entirely my own, please note that the core data points and background research have not been rigorously fact-checked. The content is intended for general informational purposes and does not target or defame any individual.