Mozilla warns that 'VPN restrictions are dangerous,' raising concerns about privacy issues related to measures to circumvent age verification for children.

Mozilla has argued in response to the UK government's discussions on online safety policy that 'VPNs are essential privacy and security tools and should not be weakened by regulation.'

Mozilla to UK regulators: VPNs are essential privacy and security tools and should not be undermined - Open Policy & Advocacy
https://blog.mozilla.org/netpolicy/2026/05/15/mozilla-to-uk-regulators-vpns-are-essential-privacy-and-security-tools-and-should-not-be-undermined/

VPN stands for 'Virtual Private Network,' and it is a technology used to encrypt communications and hide IP addresses. It is used for purposes such as 'safely using public Wi-Fi,' 'avoiding online tracking,' 'securely connecting to work or school networks,' and 'circumventing censorship.' Mozilla describes VPNs not merely as a 'tool to bypass regional restrictions,' but as a basic means of protection used by ordinary users, journalists, activists, and victims of domestic violence to protect themselves.

In the UK, under the Online Safety Act, there is a growing movement to require online services to implement age verification and strengthen safety measures to protect children from harmful content. However, concerns have been raised that children may circumvent these restrictions by using VPNs, and proposals to impose age restrictions on VPNs themselves are being discussed.

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Mozilla's concern is that if age restrictions are introduced to VPNs, it's highly likely that all users, not just minors, will be required to verify their age. VPN providers would ultimately have to ask all users to submit identification documents or biometric information to verify whether they are minors or not. This creates a paradoxical situation where users would have to submit highly sensitive information before they can even use a VPN to protect their privacy.

According to Mozilla, children often cite the protection of their personal data rather than circumventing age restrictions when using VPNs. While acknowledging that some children use VPNs to bypass age verification, Mozilla argues that it would be unfair to regulate VPNs as a whole based on a small number of such circumventions.

Furthermore, it has become clear that methods to circumvent age verification are not limited to VPNs, but also include 'entering a fake birthday,' 'using a parent's or sibling's account,' 'using someone else's device,' and 'deceiving age estimation systems based on facial images.' This shows that circumventing age verification is not a problem that can be solved simply by regulating VPNs.

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Furthermore, it has long been pointed out that age verification systems, ostensibly for child protection, pose a risk of transforming the entire internet into a space accessible only to those who have passed identity verification. Mechanisms intended to protect children should not result in narrowing the means of protecting the privacy of all users.

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Mozilla argues that instead of regulating VPNs, the focus should be on the service design and platform responsibility for creating online harm. Specifically, this includes 'strengthening enforcement of existing safety obligations,' 'supporting parents in implementing appropriate parental controls,' and 'investing in digital literacy education.'

While acknowledging the need to protect children's online safety, Mozilla states that age restrictions on VPNs have limited effectiveness as a child safety measure and would actually weaken an important privacy and security tool used by both adults and children.