The UK government's use of VPNs "demonstrates how important these tools are for cybersecurity across the modern Internet."
Restricting them creates uncertainty that "could undermine the UK’s reputation as a stable and credible place for digital businesses and security innovation."
🗣️ ORG's @JamesBaker
VPNs help people to stay private and safe online.
The UK government clearly understands this in their use of the technology to the tune of £millions.
So they must pull back from attempts to age gate VPNs – a measure that will deter people from using a core cybersecurity tool.
Sign and share our petition ⬇️
https://action.openrightsgroup.org/tell-government-protect-vpn-use-uk
Take action! Protect VPN use in the UK VPNs help people to stay private and safe online. Young people use them to avoid harassment, or protect location data. Companies use them to make sure remote log-in to their networks are secure. Journalists, campaigners and whistle blowers use them to protect their work and themselves. But the Government wants to force people to verify their age when they buy a VPN. This will deter people from using VPNs to stay safe and secure online. Why are the government proposing restrictions to accessing VPNs?
🚨 Wide ranging powers to restrict Internet access in the UK have been voted through 🚨
Ministers will be able to impose digital ID checks, curfews and VPN restrictions without Parliamentary scrutiny.
This can be used on websites, social media, apps and games with no need to show there's any harm to children.
Find out more ⬇️
#onlinesafety #digitalid #id #privacy #ageverification #freedomofexpression #ukpolitics #ukpol
Proposals to expand age checks to VPNs and features like infinite-scrolling for UK users makes things worse.
The result is more personal data swilling around in tech firms and a permanent expansion of tracking infrastructure.
For VPNs, we're told to discard privacy for supposed 'safety'.
It makes no sense.
#onlinesafety #onlinesafetyact #bigtech #ageverification #privacy #ukpolitics #ukpol #vpn
Cyber security authorities, including the UK’s National Cyber Security Centre, advocate the use of VPNs to enhance online safety.
“Implementing age verification for VPNs could undermine their privacy benefits and pose challenges for legitimate users, including young individuals seeking online privacy and security. We risk trading one risk posed to young people for another.”
🗣️ @JamesBaker for ORG.
Thanks to everyone who came to visit our stand at #fosdem . We showed off a couple of new devices this year like the PineVoice home assistant speaker and the new PineTime Pro prototype. A lot of the discussion topics we had at FOSDEM will make it into a new community blog post. Including what this year will look like considering DRAM prices.
We had a lot of fun meeting you all, safe travels everyone!
🔐 Secure, surveillance-free email isn’t just about protecting your data, it’s about safeguarding your right to speak freely. Democracy can’t thrive when our conversations aren’t private.
Privacy isn’t just a right - it’s the foundation of democracy. 🏛️
📖 Read more: https://blog.runbox.com/2026/02/democracy-why-our-shared-values-matter-more-than-ever/
⚖️ New Legal Corner Article ⚖️
This time, we take an in-depth look at a ruling issued last autumn in Spain. This decision provides a legal precedent that underlines the importance of transparency in source codes and algorithms, and support for the Freedom to Study!
https://fsfe.org/news/2026/news-20260205-01.en.html
Many thanks to @civio for their outstanding work!
Open Rights Group
PINE64 Community
Runbox
Free Software Foundation Europe