Firefox maker says the tools are basic security infrastructure, not teenage contraband
Mozilla has warned Britain not to turn VPNs into collateral damage in the government's increasingly desperate hunt for ways to stop kids dodging Online Safety Act age checks.
In a submission to the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology's "Growing up in the online world" consultation, Mozilla argued that VPNs are "essential privacy and security tools" used by millions of ordinary people, from those securing public Wi-Fi and remote work traffic to journalists, activists, and other vulnerable users. "VPNs serve as critical privacy and security tools for users across all ages," said Svea Windwehr, policy manager at Mozilla. "By hiding users' IP addresses, VPNs help protect users' location, reduce tracking and avoid IP-based profiling." Windwehr added that people rely on VPNs for everything from connecting remotely to school or work networks to avoiding censorship and "simply protecting their privacy and security online."
The filing lands in the middle of an increasingly strange UK debate where privacy tools are being recast as a threat to online safety enforcement.
VPN usage in the UK surged almost immediately after Online Safety Act age checks started rolling out last year, as users scrambled to avoid handing sensitive identity data to adult websites and platforms demanding facial scans or ID verification. Child safety advocates and officials then turned their attention to VPNs themselves, with the Children's Commissioner for England even suggesting the government should explore ways to stop children from using them altogether.Mozilla's response argues the government is chasing the wrong target.
