What happened
The UK government is consulting on new rules for young people online. One idea on the table: age-gating VPNs.
The logic is straightforward. The UK's Online Safety Act requires platforms to verify users' ages. Some young people are using VPNs to get around those checks. So regulators asked: should we restrict VPN access the same way?
Mozilla submitted a formal response. Their position: no. Age-gating VPNs would harm everyone while doing little to protect kids.
Why it matters
VPNs hide your IP address. That means less tracking, less location exposure, and less profiling by advertisers and data brokers.
They're used by remote workers, journalists, activists, and ordinary people who want their browsing to stay private. A VPN is one of the most effective tools for reducing the amount of data that gets collected about you. That's exactly what this newsletter is about.
Restricting VPNs would not stop determined teenagers. It would, however, strip privacy protections from everyone else. And it sets a precedent: if VPNs become a regulated category, what's next?
Mozilla's actual recommendation: hold platforms accountable for the harm they cause, support parental controls, and invest in digital literacy. Teach people to use privacy tools, not ban the tools.
What to do now
🔒 Use a VPN if you don't already — but choose carefully
A VPN shifts your traffic away from your ISP, but you are now routing it through the VPN provider instead. You are not removing exposure — you are moving it. Choose a provider with a verified no-logs policy and a business model that doesn't depend on selling your data. Mullvad and ProtonVPN are strong options. Free VPNs are often the product.
📍 Understand what a VPN does and doesn't do
A VPN hides your IP. It doesn't make you anonymous and doesn't block data brokers who already have your information. It's one layer, not a full solution.
📰 Stay informed on this one
The UK consultation is still open. This kind of regulation tends to spread. What passes in the UK often influences policy conversations elsewhere.
Up next
Wednesday: if you live in California, there's a free state-run portal that sends a single deletion request to 500+ data brokers at once. One form, done.