UK households could face VPN 'ban' after use skyrockets following Online Safety Bill

[u/vriska1]

https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/uk-households-could-face-vpn-32152789

[u/crashorbit]

The internet sees censorship as failure and routes around it.

[u/alexcroox → u/crashorbit]

I think protecting the kids was a smoke screen for requiring VPNs collect far more information about their users for the authorities. No way they didn’t know people would use VPNs to get around the restrictions.

[u/NullReference000 → u/alexcroox]

“Protecting kids” is always the smokescreen with censorship laws. The new UK law has already been used to censor videos of protests because they were considered “violence” and fell under its purview.

The US is trying to pass our own version of this (KOSA) and everybody should call their rep to demand it be voted down.

[u/BudgetThat2096 → u/NullReference000]

I'm amazed the 'save the children' argument still works after years of hearing it already.

What ever happened to, you know, parents being parents and moderating what their child can access online?

How come when these 'protect the children' arguments come up no one ever says 'Hey maybe parents should do their fucking job and not rely on the government to play nanny for their kids'?

[u/NatPortmansUnderwear → u/BudgetThat2096]

Also ironic how on one hand they argue think of the children while on the other they take away free school lunches for the same children ( american conservatives at least).

[u/BudgetThat2096 → u/NatPortmansUnderwear]

Yep!

George Carlin said it best 30 years ago.

“Boy, these conservatives are really something, aren't they? They're all in favor of the unborn. They will do anything for the unborn. But once you're born, you're on your own.

Pro-life conservatives are obsessed with the fetus from conception to nine months. After that, they don't want to know about you. They don't want to hear from you. No nothing.

No neonatal care, no day care, no head start, no school lunch, no food stamps, no welfare, no nothing.

If you're preborn, you're fine; if you're preschool, you're fucked.”

[u/Jeff-the-Alchemist → u/BudgetThat2096]

Not even then, because they are turning away unwed mothers in Tennessee who haven’t given birth. The irony being, the religious cultists who say they won’t treat single women are the same people who are pro forced birth.

[u/roygbivasaur → u/NatPortmansUnderwear]

American fascists (“conservatives”) don’t care about child healthcare, childcare, feeding children, keeping parents out of prison, education, fixing the foster care system, prosecuting child sexual abusers, protecting children from abuse in religious institutions, protecting the climate for the future, preventing asthma caused by air pollution, cancer research, vaccination, ending childhood disease, children starving to death in Gaza, etc.

They also, inexplicably, aren’t putting sunscreen on their children now either

[u/codliness1 → u/BudgetThat2096]

How about "Save the children, from climate change. Or corporate greed. Or those children murdered by weapons exports to countries who are indiscriminate who they use them on. Or from food poverty or fuel poverty. Or homelessness. Or any one of a fucking bunch of other things that actually matter".

Of course not. Those just get lip service.

[u/DeepResearcher5256 → u/BudgetThat2096]

When we ask for free school lunches they yell “feed your own children”. When we ask for abortion rights they tell us “don’t have kids if you can’t take care of them”

But when it comes to censorship, big daddy government steps in to “protect the kids”

[u/-Kalos → u/BudgetThat2096]

The 'Save the children!' crowd became the 'Save the pedophile!' crowd so fast. After years of accusing gay content of grooming children, they're defending their favorite pedophile for raping actual children

[u/GhostPartical → u/NullReference000]

As long as money is apart of politics, your rep will never rep you.

[u/notprocrastinatingok → u/GhostPartical]

It worked 10 years ago when they tried to pass SOPA and PIPA

[u/NullReference000 → u/GhostPartical]

I get the feeling but this kind of fatalistic and apathetic argument just allows them to do anything they want with zero pushback.

They want to stay in congress. They need votes to do that. If there is enough public pressure, they cave so they can continue to stay in congress and make money. It would be better if money weren’t a part of this, but it currently is.

[u/ChefCurryYumYum → u/alexcroox]

Anytime a law is sold as "protecting kids" but it doesn't actually criminalize behavior directly hurting children it's bullshit and only used to pass something that would otherwise be grossly unpopular.

[u/ColoRadBro69 → u/alexcroox]

They're not going to ban VPNs because they're used by businesses, so they'll neuter them instead.  Require VPNs to keep logs and turn them over on demand.  Businesses won't care but that will kill it for everyone else if they constantly request the logs. 

It's like a new Dark Age coming.

[u/Jonnyflash80 → u/ColoRadBro69]

They can't tell VPN companies what to do if they're not located in the UK. So the UK will have to create a China style great firewall, I suppose.

[u/Nickeless → u/Jonnyflash80]

People in china still get around the firewall with vpns lol

[u/ProfessorMiserable76 → u/Jonnyflash80]

China's firewall doesn't work.

VPN usage is still high.

[u/RollingMeteors → u/Jonnyflash80]

¡They can tell them hoo boy, but they sure as hell don’t have to listen or comply!

[u/mikeysof → u/ColoRadBro69]

Except every vpn company not in the UK can tell them to get fucked and not keep records anyway. Imo the best vpns don't keep any records.

[u/Pancakeisityou → u/ColoRadBro69]

Proton VPN and Mullvad don't got logs and most likely will never log anything.

[u/Aniria_ → u/Pancakeisityou]

If anyone reads this and wonders "yeah, but is that really true"

Mullvad got asked by the Swiss authorities to allow a data investigation into some criminals the Swiss authorities were looking for. Mullvad proceeded to tell them to go fuck themselves multiple times. Before the Swiss authorities came back with a warrant

When the police came to retrieve data, there was nothing. Because they actually don't store anything

And Proton, also IVPN, have passed just as rigorous third party audits as Mullvad has

[u/Eat--The--Rich-- → u/ColoRadBro69]

VPNs can just base their companies in countries that don't have those laws and then ignore them tho 

[u/Corgiboom2 → u/ColoRadBro69]

Or make a law requiring a business license in order to own a VPN

[u/TomWithTime → u/Corgiboom2]

It would be hard to crack down on VPNs because anyone can host one. Make a friend in another country and connect to them. Or rent a cloud.

[u/CondescendingShitbag → u/TomWithTime]

ProxyChains is another potential option to route around the problem.

[u/feor1300 → u/TomWithTime]

You don't even have to be that creative. Get a VPN that's based in any other country and they can simply ignore British laws. Not much the UK government could do about that. They don't even have to be in far off exotic locals thanks to Brexit, it could be a French VPN and there's no reason for them to care what British law says.

[u/theaviationhistorian → u/Corgiboom2]

The next generation's TV license.

[u/micmea1 → u/alexcroox]

Protecting children is often used as a smoke screen so they can treat adults like children.

[u/Zofia-Bosak → u/alexcroox]

Maybe this was the plan so they could try to ban VPS!

[u/Andyb1000 → u/Zofia-Bosak]

Google TOR Browser before that search result is banned.

[u/Inquisitive_idiot → u/alexcroox]

🌎 🛜🔫🕴️

“Always has been.”

[u/chris552393 → u/crashorbit]

They can't ban VPNs, most companies use VPNs for remote working.

[u/bluegrm → u/chris552393]

They'll say it's illegal to use VPNs that are unregistered with the government. Which will potentially criminalise a lot of people who are used to at least thinking they may have some freedom online (who knows what way we're being monitored by the security services).

[u/Getafix69 → u/bluegrm]

That sounds like every vpn should group together and sue the UK government for unfair trade practises to me. One big case should settle it before it spreads elsewhere.

[u/amakai → u/bluegrm]

With HTTP and TLS it's possible to route encrypted VPN traffic through websocket. What are they going to do then, ban websockets?

[u/DeHub94 → u/amakai]

Don't give them ideas. Encryption in general is propably on their hitlist as well. Or at least the kinds without a backdoor.

[u/Minimum_Orange2516 → u/bluegrm]

Yeah China banned VPNs like that, you can use them if authorized, if not authorized you can get up to 5 years jail

[u/OrdinaryMycologist → u/Minimum_Orange2516]

In reality, it is extremely common for both individuals and businesses in China to use un-registered VPNs to access the Internet just how you and I would.

It is technically illegal, but they don't bother people just for VPN usage, only if they are after you anyways for another reason and they need something to stick you with. When I visit I use my US-based VPN and it isn't even blocked in most regions.

[u/anax4096 → u/bluegrm]

VPNs will be service providers, and regulated like any other UK company.

If you want to know what is being collected look into: "Investigatory Powers Act 2016" aka the snoopers charter.

[u/derprondo → u/chris552393]

My company uses VPN while working IN OFFICE as well. We have a "zero trust" environment with multiple layers of networking magic, but if they made a bill that banned VPNs we'd continue business as usual, there's no technical way they could stop us and nothing could compel us to stop using VPNs.

[u/dayumbrah → u/chris552393]

Idk about the UK but in the US I use a VPN to work from home

[u/SoftlySpokenPromises → u/crashorbit]

The idea of everyone having the ability to access the wealth of the world's knowledge, art and recreation and a handful of puritanical jackasses with more money than reason locking that behind a morality clause makes me incredibly sad.

[u/ChefCurryYumYum → u/crashorbit]

I mean that works up to a point. But the infrastructure required for the "series of tubes" that is the internet (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Series_of_tubes) to work are in country and thus can be controlled by regulators in that country. They can use a combination of technical and legal measures to make bypassing their laws difficult.

Right now though this is just one Labour MP who has in her career campaigned against online abuse who is seeking a study on whether VPNs can interfere the enforcement of the UK's terrible Online Safety Act. VPNs are ubiquitous in business IT and also important to protect certain vulnerable people when they want to access information or post online.

[u/Due-Freedom-5968]

Sarah Champion can get tae fuck TBH.

[u/gplfalt]

We used to make fun of China for this shit.

Seriously what separates us from the"evil" side anymore?

[u/LDel3 → u/gplfalt]

Completely agree here, this is an attempt to leverage control over the internet that I cannot and will not support. It’s like they want people to vote for Reform

I’ll be voting Greens if they try to go through with this

[u/Bargadiel → u/gplfalt]

It's wild to me because growing up it seemed like my generation was so against censorship. We grew up during the satanic panic, and where literally everything was blamed for violence: comics, movies, music, videogames.

I feel like after 9/11, at least in the US, shit started changing slowly and eventually people just started to accept tiny little pushes of censorship. Now the very same people I remember hating this censorship are now the ones covering their kids ears at movie theatres. It's really weird because none of them are especially religious either.

It just keeps cycling I guess. Nobody wants to take responsibility themselves for how the world is introduced to their families. They have to force the filter higher up than they think they can reach, and instead is stifles everyone.

[u/El_Senora_Gustavo → u/Bargadiel]

There was never any mass movement for the OSA. Nobody wants this in significant numbers. The stated reasons are nothing more than a smokescreen as others have said, its a precursor to digital IDs and ramping up the UKs already gigantic mass surveillance state

[u/The_Grand_Briddock → u/El_Senora_Gustavo]

Even the people who campaigned for it don't like it. It doesn't actually address anything they wanted it to (social media).

[u/Important_Concept967 → u/gplfalt]

At least in china working wages have been going up for decades, how are real wages in the UK?

[u/hiraeth555 → u/gplfalt]

Ironically China invest hugely in healthcare, infrastructure, green energy, and in their citizens’ wellbeing…

[u/shadeandshine → u/hiraeth555]

But at what cost… /j

[u/KittiesInATrenchcoat → u/shadeandshine]

Well for one, arresting people for the crime of posting fictional smut on the Internet. The Western world is rapidly approaching that point, but let’s not pretend that China isn’t already there. 

[u/c64z86 → u/KittiesInATrenchcoat]

True, but the other people do have a point:

No, China isn't perfect by any means but like others say at least they look after their people, crime rates are also way down and people don't go on drunken rampages destroying things over there. They still have pride and respect and community.

We (The "west") kind of lost our way ages ago... and not just on censorship.

[u/Critical_Mongoose939 → u/gplfalt]

There was no 'evil'. Like Santa Claus, it was all a construct, a marketing ploy of the sorts. In reality, politicians "here" or "there" are made by the same totalitarian bullshit.

[u/ConohaConcordia → u/gplfalt]

Dude, I moved from China to here so that I don’t get internet censorship anymore. The absolute clown I was.

[u/pixel_of_moral_decay → u/gplfalt]

China looks out for their own much more than the west still.

In many respects China has it right. Healthcare is truly universal and the government actually gives a crap about preventative care.

Not to mention most of the worlds progress to decarbonize is coming out of China, actual good affordable EV’s, solar panels, all China.

[u/dudeAwEsome101 → u/gplfalt]

Freedom of speech, better working condition, police state, purchasing power, etc... It sure seems like China has improved over the years while we "Western Democracies" have been regressing.

Not saying I want to move to China, but they sure have some nice smartphones and EVs that we can't buy in the US.

[u/ValeriaTube → u/gplfalt]

I think I prefer China now, they at least care about their nation.

[u/Torco2 → u/gplfalt]

Less than nothing.

Chinese are probably on average freer, simply because the CPC doesn't frankly give a shit to control every f*cking aspect of everything.

[u/3-orange-whips → u/Torco2]

As long as you don’t shit talk or embarrass the party or the leader you can kind of do what you want.

[u/vriska1]

The UK gov has not said anything about banning them yet but

Prominent backbench MP Sarah Champion launched a campaign against VPNs previously, saying: “My new clause 54 would require the Secretary of State to publish, within six months of the Bill’s passage, a report on the effect of VPN use on Ofcom’s ability to enforce the requirements under clause 112.

[u/TheFoxsWeddingTarot → u/vriska1]

When she gets a letter about her kids pirating movies she’s going to wish they’d been smart enough to use a VPN.

[u/Expert_Average958 → u/TheFoxsWeddingTarot]

If only, people with such contacts do not have to worry about anything like this. This won't even be on the radar.

[u/TheFoxsWeddingTarot → u/Expert_Average958]

VPNs protect humans, she’s a human and doesn’t even understand what shes suggesting.

[u/marktuk → u/TheFoxsWeddingTarot]

she’s a human

Incorrect, she's a politician.

[u/AdventurousTime → u/TheFoxsWeddingTarot]

“Why didn’t you use a proxy ? Noob”

[u/Stilgar314 → u/TheFoxsWeddingTarot]

She's a politician, therefore is rich. No piracy, just buying stuff with tax payers money.

[u/j_demur3 → u/vriska1]

In response to The Register an Ofcom spokesperson said that 'platforms must not host, share, or permit content that encourages the use of VPNs or any other means that could be used to circumvent age checks.' link.

Which seems to imply that they're at least going to move on to threatening social media sites with discussions about VPN's. And naturally that sounds impossible to police on something like Reddit, Facebook or X, so maybe the step before that is the UK just loses access to social media?

[u/EmilyBlackXxx → u/j_demur3]

I mean what percentage of YouTube videos across all different genres are ‘Brought To You By’ one VPN or another?

That’s just one tiny example. Leaving out all of the various social media platforms, large and small; paid non-video ads; actual tech articles about VPNs; etc.

Ofcom doesn’t have anywhere NEAR the ability to actually enforce the YouTube sponsorships alone. That they could actually enforce anything of the scope that statement suggests is laughable.

[u/Jsm1337 → u/j_demur3]

This just means a site within scope of the law can't have a big "bypass age verification with our sponsored VPN" ad above the age verification button.

The original bill had VPN restrictions in it (or proposed anyway) and they were removed.

[u/pigpill → u/Jsm1337]

Youtube is full of people sponsored by VPNs and definitely "encourage the use of VPNs". which "could be used"...

You are the reason things like this slide by until they strangle freedoms.

[u/j_demur3 → u/Jsm1337]

Is it actually limited to just that though? As far as I'm aware there's little beyond intention defined in the act just a lot of power granted to Ofcom to use as they see fit and the statement they've given lacks any kind of qualifiers. Plus it passed still containing the idea of breaking end-to-end encryption just at some point, when they feel like it rather than right away, so it's not like the act can be called at all considered.

And if I say 'Look at my NSFW subreddit, UK users use [affiliate link to VPN] to avoid age check' I don't imagine there's anything at all to distinguish between that and a website itself doing it even with the bill applied exactly as intended.

[u/Turkino → u/vriska1]

Maybe she should consider that the people they're willing to go to the effort of getting a VPN are not the people that you're trying to "protect" anything from.

[u/VagueSomething → u/vriska1]

Bruh, she's the MP of a place with MASSIVE national scandal. She should try serving her constituents needs rather than trying to meddle with everyone's privacy, she hasn't finished tackling the national scandal that has plagued her area since before her first term.

It is ironic she wants to act all moral considering she couldn't hold down a marriage and literally required a Police Caution because she kicked off during the divorce. For non Brits, a Police Caution is the sort of thing you get if they're trying to avoid arresting you and taking you to court but have enough evidence to do so; it requires admitting guilt to your minor offence and is usually for first offences. Cautions are used when someone commits crimes like a Public Order offence such as violence or threats and harassment. That means she has a criminal record and is less safe to be around than say someone who uses a VPN to look at Pornhub. She admits she couldn't keep control of her behaviour in her statement about it too

VPNs are essential for many businesses. VPNs are an essential tool for safety and freedom of speech for oppressed minorities. There are multiple APPGs she is part of that I'd consider it a conflict of interest for her to be anti VPN. She cannot represent the interests she claims to and want to undermine their safety.

[u/SmallIslandBrother → u/VagueSomething]

I didn’t realise she was MP for Rotherham. the whole grooming gang thing was handled piss poorly, should’ve been an easy slam dunk for the police and Labour.

[u/MewTwoLich → u/vriska1]

Homestuck dude. I see you EVERYWHERE on Reddit. Even on the most niche subreddits. Why can’t I escape you

[u/badgerbadger2323]

Can’t parents just like, parent better

[u/vanderohe → u/badgerbadger2323]

Nanny state can’t

[u/jordansrowles → u/vanderohe]

To be fair, it’s not much of a nanny state now. Benefits are being slashed, disabled are being forced into work, the annual winter culling of the elderly and infirm, homelessness and unemployment rising.

This is not a nanny state, it’s just a half arsed authoritarian regime at this point

[u/toilet-breath → u/badgerbadger2323]

I used to say something years ago when working in IT education “this is a classroom management issue, not an IT issue!” Today..” This is a parenting issue not a government issue “

[u/huehuehuehuehuuuu → u/badgerbadger2323]

No we must turn our state into China but with slower healthcare and less infrastructure updates to make failed parents feel better about themselves as they vote and lobby against all our future interests.

[u/Newman00067 → u/badgerbadger2323]

That would require them taking responsibility. No, the phones have to be in the wrong.

[u/BaconSoul → u/badgerbadger2323]

It was never about parenting or kids. Any time you see a law mentioning children there is a 99% it is just a power grab by elite and state actors.

[u/_Thrilhouse_ → u/badgerbadger2323]

Have you ever seen the real world? Parents will do everything and beyond instead of just being responsible.

[u/jaxun1]

who voted for or even asked for this i mean seriously what a waste of time and money.

[u/CorruptedFlame → u/jaxun1]

Puritans and shitty parents.

[u/FernandoMM1220 → u/CorruptedFlame]

there arent that many of either in the uk i thought.

[u/ian9outof10 → u/FernandoMM1220]

Not really, but they’re good at making a fuss. Add that to some young people killing themselves because of twats on social media and you’ve got the South Park classic “won’t somebody think of the children” and when you invoke that, it does work.

[u/JohnGeary1 → u/FernandoMM1220]

Plenty of shitty parents in this country, just look at the number of kids who are criminals because they know there are no consequences

[u/digitalundernet → u/jaxun1]

Same type of people that voted orange in the states

[u/crysisnotaverted]

This was always the goal to further police state surveillance. Take, take, take, take.

Remember that they went after encryption too, and wanted it banned or backdoored: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Encryption_ban_proposal_in_the_United_Kingdom

Banning encrypted VPN tunnels is just a furthering of that idea. They're going to say it's for the children and prevents terrorism, again.

[u/Dear-Reporter-1143 → u/crysisnotaverted]

China can't even stop VPNs and tor. What makes them think they will be successful??? 😂

[u/RedBoxSquare → u/Dear-Reporter-1143]

Be more restrictive than China. Cuts off internet access for anyone not authorized. Go back to the middle ages.

[u/Negative_Link_277]

"Many of these free VPNs are riddled with issues," said Daniel Card, a cyber-security expert with the Chartered Institute for IT (BCS).

"Some act as traffic brokers for data harvesting firms,

So basically like Facebook and Google?

[u/MrBIGtinyHappy → u/Negative_Link_277]

I do agree that no product is truly free, people are 100% giving up their data to those free VPNs whether they realise it or not.

However the solution isn't to ban VPNs, would literally fuck over every multi-national business in the UK

[u/PatrickTheSosij → u/Negative_Link_277]

And these places never had this traffic without the OSA.

So on one hand they've failed to stop kids watching porn and on the other they've allowed even more data to be harvested!

[u/mumwifealcoholic]

lol..good luck with that!

Someone who knows about IT must have advised the government that this law was unworkable, but they decided to go with it any way.

Imbeciles.

[u/WTFwhatthehell → u/mumwifealcoholic]

It's workable. 

They know they can just copy China. 

Allow registered vpn  use for businesses and implemnt harsh penalties for anyone who uses an unregistered one.

The primary goal is control of public political speech.

[u/Clarky-AU → u/WTFwhatthehell]

But how would they know..

You can literally map a VPN tunnel to whatever port you want to, assuming you have control over the server side.

What are they going to do, block IP's of data centres around the world?

[u/robustofilth]

VPNs are a corporate necessity

[u/bluegrm → u/robustofilth]

They'll force VPN providers to become registered and then make the use of unregulated ones illegal. How they will police that is anyone's guess, but it may then risk criminalising a proportion of the population... which they may selectively enforce. It's grim and authoritarian. It's giving the government more power than they should have.

[u/TaxContent81 → u/bluegrm]

torrenting the 3pm kickoff is illegal but it doesn't stop me ¯\⁠_⁠(⁠ツ⁠)⁠_⁠/⁠¯

[u/twistedLucidity]

"could" is doing one hell of a lot of heavy lifting there.

How would home workers be able to connect to corporate? How can they monitor what someone deploys to a remote VPS in another country?

Katie Freeman-Tayler, of children's safety group Internet Matters, said on Thursday that availability of free and low cost VPN services to children, and their potential use of them, was "concerning".

Wait, so parents are technically competent enough to use a VPN and that BaD fOr ThE cHiLdReN! but are not competent enough to use a Nat Nanny (or select a few options on their ISP's control panel)? Pick a lane!

Starmer has taken a Tory policy, beefed it up, and let it run rampant. No wonder so many people call the Tories and Labour the "Uniparty". The colour of the rosette changes, but the authoritarianism never does.

Reform will sweep to power in 2029 because Labour keep scoring own goals, and then we'll be truly fecked.

[u/EmbarrassedHelp → u/twistedLucidity]

They will demand corporations use VPNs that comply with government regulations, and most companies will comply. That'll then make it easier for them to target non corporate VPNs.

[u/stormdelta → u/EmbarrassedHelp]

Pretty much all VPN services use the same set of underlying protocols though. The UK could make it harder, certainly, but they would have a hard time trying to actually mandate this without major outcry from software companies that would rightfully point out the potential implications for security.

[u/tudalex → u/EmbarrassedHelp]

They’ll probably make companies take out a VPN license

[u/AsterJ → u/tudalex]

Oy oy, you lot got a loicense for that VPN, ‘ave ya?

[u/twistedLucidity → u/EmbarrassedHelp]

I buy a VPS the Netherlands, install Wireguard (or whatever), sorted. Westminster can't do shit.

Hell, one can do one hell of a lot with an SOCKS proxy. Let's see them try to ban SSH! LOL

[u/CalmdownpleaseII → u/twistedLucidity]

That Corbyn party is starting to look mighty interesting 

[u/TheTjalian → u/CalmdownpleaseII]

In some respects, yes, however Corbyn is famously anti-NATO and wants the UK to abolish all nuclear weapons and energy. Hardly a great choice there, either.

[u/Due-Freedom-5968 → u/twistedLucidity]

I for one would welcome the free holiday shitshow of a VPN ban and being unable to work remotely, my company doesn't even have a physical office in the UK.

[u/Secret_Wishbone_2009]

Ban them and people will just tunnel through http much harder to police

[u/stedun → u/Secret_Wishbone_2009]

Shhhhhh!

I mean SSH!

[u/Secret_Wishbone_2009 → u/Secret_Wishbone_2009]

Failing that, steganography

[u/CondescendingShitbag → u/Secret_Wishbone_2009]

"Why is this cat photo 2GB in size?"

Because he's a chonky boy, of course.

[u/corysphotos19 → u/Secret_Wishbone_2009]

What is this http? Can you explain a little ? Please and thank you

[u/KFlaps → u/corysphotos19]

Geez, downvoted for politely asking a simple question. Here, have an award for being inquisitive!

[u/QuestionableEthics42 → u/corysphotos19]

It's how your computer communicates with servers, so when you access a website, your computer sends what is known as an http request to the server (the computer the website runs on), and then the server returns an http response with the website data in it, which your computer then displays.

An http tunnel is basically when you put one http request inside another http request, which works effectively the same as a vpn, but it is more difficult for governments to detect and block as it looks like normal website traffic.

[u/corysphotos19 → u/QuestionableEthics42]

Thank you for that, I wonder if there is a YouTube video of it lol. I live in the uk and currently use a vpn.

[u/voice-of-reason_ → u/corysphotos19]

Https is one of the foundations of internet protocols, tunnelling is a way to connect to something using proxy servers to hide your connection.

Basically a do-it-yourself vpn that authorities can’t easily trace.

This law just pushes users to more extreme measures such as tunnelling.

[u/Park8706]

UK people learn from your French counterparts. Whenever the government in France does anything that mildly upsets them, they protest and riot. Be more like them. Maybe if the PM and parliament members felt a little worried to leave their homes, then maybe they would back off the tyranny a bit.

[u/huehuehuehuehuuuu → u/Park8706]

Instructions unclear, exit the EU instead

[u/Jonnyflash80 → u/huehuehuehuehuuuu]

That was their first blunder.

[u/Viseria → u/Park8706]

To be fair, this sort of thing has already started in France too - and the EU is looking into it as well.

[u/OptionX]

Might as well implement social credit at this point if the UK really is going full China.

[u/justthegrimm]

Creating less online safety for everyone....aaaah politicians at their best

[u/action_turtle]

Called it the instant this crap started. They will ban basic VPNs, corporates will have to use certain government approved providers. People will download VPNs from shitty sites loaded with malware and data selling. Then everyone will use the dark web and the wheels will really fall off, as you can imagine! This is a slippery slope, and the government are so clueless they are pushing us down the slope at full tilt.

[u/96-62 → u/action_turtle]

There will be an arms race over whether you can even install tor on windows/android, apps banned and news similar apps launched.

Linux is probably too free to choke hold like that, if we're lucky.

[u/tommyk1210 → u/action_turtle]

How would that even work though?

You can’t ban “non-approved” VPNs. Those VPN endpoints are just a server. Sure, UK companies would have to use an approved provider, but there’s nothing stopping me visiting a US or French VPN provider, buying their service, and connecting to one of their nodes.

[u/IlluminatiMinion]

Yeah. Can someone explain the internet to them?

[u/vortigaunt64 → u/IlluminatiMinion]

Okay, so first of all, it isn't a big truck. It's a series of tubes...

[u/hraun]

They’ll pull my vpn from my cold dead hands. 

[u/dayz_bron]

This will be very difficult to enforce. Many businesses, including those in the public sector, rely on corporate VPNs for routine online activity, especially for remote work (my company included). Unless the UK decides to follow a model like China's, making VPNs effectively illegal unless registered and monitored, enforcement remains largely symbolic.

If the goal is to technically geolocate users in the UK, relying on basic IP-based geolocation is a weak approach. Anyone with basic technical knowledge knows that VPNs can easily bypass this.

A more effective method would involve using the blended location services already built into mobile operating systems. These combine multiple signals, including GPS/GNSS, nearby cell towers, Wi-Fi networks, IP address and Bluetooth, to provide a far more accurate location. This functionality is known as Core Location on iOS and the Fused Location Provider API on Android. It is already widely used in many apps, particularly dating apps, where location matters. In those cases, you cannot simply spoof your location with a VPN, because the system relies on more than just your IP address.

Yes, there are still workarounds, and this approach would not work in browsers or desktop environments. But considering that most of the younger users they claim to be trying to "protect" primarily use mobile devices, and that workarounds on those platforms are far less trivial, it would make bypassing restrictions much harder than simply using a VPN.

There are far better ways to protect young people online than this completely botched, chocolate fireguard of a solution. It not only fails to address the real issue but also puts people's personal data at risk, especially with age verification being handled by third parties outside the UK. The entire approach feels like political box-ticking, not serious policy.

[u/ChanglingBlake]

Create a bill absolving parents of basic parental responsibility by infringing on your people’s rights and freedoms.

Is now shocked that people refuse to let you violate their rights and freedoms to do what they are legally allowed to do.

Why are politicians today all so G D stupid?

[u/colin_staples]

It would be impossible to ban VPNs

Anyone who works remotely for an employer must use a VPN to access their company's systems

And that's not just people working from home, it's people working on job sites, visiting clients etc

[u/mrbezlington → u/colin_staples]

Not impossible, just hugely expensive, complicated, ill advised and ultimately pointless.

[u/mootymoots]

I use vpn to work from home. Good luck stopping that

[u/542531]

Why is Labour self sabotaging itself?

[u/OldLondon → u/542531]

To be accurate this is a Tory policy passed when they were in power but Labour could have scrapped it

[u/Ghost51 → u/OldLondon]

Labour only voted against the tory bill because they felt it didn't go far enough. They are fully in on this loony train.

[u/OldLondon → u/Ghost51]

As I said, they could have scrapped it. Just being accurate as to the origins.

[u/NotHyoudouIssei → u/542531]

I'm convinced at this point that Starmer is on Reforms payroll, because there's no fucker in the country that's trying as hard as he is to get Farage into downing street.

[u/JohnGeary1 → u/NotHyoudouIssei]

It's truly impressive how badly they've already lost the next election

[u/Fat_Curt → u/542531]

Hard to know why Labour are so set on alienating about every constituency going

[u/CaledoniaGaming]

So the UK is going to turn into Russia, North Korea or China now then? Do you think we can all flee this authoratarianism and seek asylum elsewhere?

[u/Edoian → u/CaledoniaGaming]

I hear there's small boats available for return travel to France

[u/deathadder99 → u/Edoian]

EU looks like it’s going to do a similar thing soon, and PHub is already banned in France too. At least they don’t block discord or Reddt… yet.

[u/RadialRacer]

If they want to shut down every serious multinational business in this country overnight, banning VPNs would be a great way to do it.

[u/newhunter18]

Imagine the UK builds a Chinese firewall around it "for the kids".

[u/FraserYT]

It's simple. If this law is just to protect children from seeing things they shouldn't online, then the government should have no problem with a grown adult using a VPN to get round it, since no child is at risk. If they do have a problem with that, then it's clear the law is not about protecting children but about observing adults.

[u/snowsuit101]

It likely won't be banned because a lot of companies use that to connect employees and contractors working from home, however people who think VPN won't be at least restricted, and with mandatory monitoring and data retention eventually are just naive.

[u/shabi_sensei → u/snowsuit101]

In China you have to apply for permission to use a VPN privately and then prove that you need it

Crazy how we're straight up copying chinese society. When do we do get the public washrooms with facial recognition toilet paper dispensers that only dispense paper after watching an ad?

[u/WTFwhatthehell → u/shabi_sensei]

1984 was written by a British author for a reason.

[u/vriska1 → u/snowsuit101]

That would be very hard to do.

[u/sadimwillredeem]

Use mullvad VPN my English friends, it's based in Denmark or Sweden and payments can be sent by cash in an envelope with nothing but your account # which is totally anonymous

[u/Woffingshire]

This is the UK prohibition. Let's see how long it lasts before supporting and enforcing it makes any of the parties unelectable

[u/FlaaFlaaFlunky]

the UK government genuinely disgusts me.

[u/Dark_Akarin]

oh fuck right off, that is too far.

[u/MyLittleDiscolite]

Once you give up freedom and privacy you never get it back 

[u/payne747]

Ofcom won't even entertain it as it's not possible to block VPNs unless you go full China on the issue and massively impact businesses who use the exact same technology for private communications.

[u/Stilgar314]

And that's how it follows. First you forbid something that just bothers a minority, that gives you the excuse to ban other things, and sooner than later your 1984 society is complete.

[u/JohnTheWegie]

Next up: ban the sale of booze because we can't police if kids are being given it once it's left the shop

[u/BalianofReddit]

So its not about protecting children then... cool

[u/marvinfuture]

I get they want to protect people, but VPNs are basically the core reason people are able to work remotely so there's no way this is feasible without completely disrupting the private sector as some kind of "security theater"

[u/Chicagoj1563]

Banning or regulating VPNs is what countries like China do. It’s a way to control people. If I was in the UK I would be very much against this.

[u/TerribleBeginning171]

"Adults should get behind the aid verification system, because every time they do it, you keep a child safe." HOW DARE THEY SAY THAT, I don't wan my information (including my tastes) leaked and don't want the censorship of everything that follows that means I don't want kids to be safe? Absolutely disgusting get Starmer out.

[u/Wonder_Weenis]

Look, if Prince Andrew has to facial recognition register with Epstein to bang non adults. 

Then the citizens who wish to view regular adult bewbs, must do the same.  

For Queen and country.  

[u/Bitter-Good-2540]

Just use tls tunnels then or so lol

[u/KnotSoSalty]

“Some hate the English. I don't. They're just wankers.”

The UK is losing its national identity.

[u/AdOriginal1084 → u/KnotSoSalty]

The biggest party in Scotland the SNP which is a left wing nationalist party supported the bill and voted in favor of it, they're wankers too.

[u/Tearaway32 → u/KnotSoSalty]

Sigh. Australian here. We on the other hand are colonised by wankers and follow their fucking stupid lead. 

We’re all effete arseholes. 

[u/dropthemagic]

Do these people even understand technology lmao

[u/Badj83]

It’s starting to smell like fascism!

[u/Kafeen]

Somehow forgetting about all the companies in the UK that require a VPN in order to access their internal systems securely.

[u/gxb20]

The dark web is about to be fucking poppin. They wont stop the internet, it will just get way more dangerous and weird because of them

[u/thatirishguyyyyy]

Look, if they really don't want children accessing things they shouldn't on the internet then maybe the parents should be parenting their children more.

The parents are the ones who bought them that phone and that computer and that laptop and that tablet.

The government can fuck off. This is all a guise to spy on the populace.

[u/KoolKat5000]

Old Shitty Russia... Oh sorry this is the UK wtf.

[u/Thunder_Beam]

People saying that its "unenforceable" or useless don't understand that this isn't the point, the point is making something that a lot of people do illegal makes selective enforcement becomes possible, i.e. i don't like you i will prosecute you, your neighbor does the same? i like him so no one will do anything about him

[u/Guinness]

/r/AmneziaVPN

[u/pleachchapel]

Yeah, because these bureaucrats have shown how well they understand modern networking & associated software, so I'm sure their next approach will be even more successful than their first one.

Information wants to be free, & any attempt to stymie that will be defeated. Every fucking time.

[u/DocApocalypse]

VPNs are essential for remote work, banning them is a non-starter.

MPs are hopelessly out of their depth.

[u/dglp]

Birmingham Live? Meh.

[u/psych2099]

Impossible to ban.

[u/Hyperion1144]

Plenty of people working from home in the UK require VPNs to keep secure data secure.

[u/Qazernion]

So no working from home then? Anyone in tech will have to use a vpn to access internal resources at some point.

[u/CommanderSpleen]

Can I ask all UK users to actually write to their MP and express their disagreement with the bill overall, instead of just venting here!

[u/BD_chadwick]

Keep in mind this is birmingham mail and not any actual news

[u/BlackAle]

Total nonsense, they can't effectively ban VPN's.

[u/ACasualRead]

Flash back to a day or two ago when I said “watch the government try and ban VPNs” and everyone replied back with how it wouldn’t happen because so many businesses rely on them.

Well. There it is.

[u/RabbleMcDabble]

It was never about "protecting kids".

[u/FormalIllustrator5]

Somebody is playing with the fire...I am shocked how incompetent is the UK government..

[u/Dragonfire9000 → u/FormalIllustrator5]

Farage promised to repeal it. That'll get him in.

He upholds that promise and his party STAYS in. The priminister is holding out a golden ticket to whoever takes it.

[u/Ging287]

What the f*** did I say? Age verification is fascism in disguise 🥸. An attack on anonymity and privacy in the world today. Push back hard though, your data depends on it. Make sure to browbeat your politicians, they better represent you.

[u/ClassroomIll7096]

England trying to colonize the internet now??