UK's Age-Verification Loophole: VPNs Enable Minors to Bypass Porn Filters

England's children's commissioner is urging the government to address a significant loophole in its new online safety regulations: the use of VPNs by minors to circumvent age restrictions. A recent report reveals a concerning number of young people accessing pornography before age 18, despite the implementation of mandatory age checks for commercial porn sites. The surge in VPN usage post-regulation highlights the ineffectiveness of current measures. While the government claims no plans to ban VPNs, it intends to collaborate with providers to implement robust age verification, potentially impacting the privacy and security of legitimate users, including schools relying on VPNs for secure access to internal systems. This move represents a significant challenge in balancing child safety with online freedoms.