Businesses may be caught by government proposals to restrict VPN use | Computer Weekly

Businesses that use virtual private networks to secure their computer systems are concerned that they could be inadvertently caught by government plans to restrict their use to people under 16. The government’s announcement to limit the use of VPNs by under 16s is part of a wider proposal to limit the use of social media by school-age children unveiled by the UK prime minister on Monday. However it is unclear how the proposals will impact businesses, including small companies, that rely on VPNs to secure their computers and to communicate securely. TechUK, which represents over 1000 tech companies, told Computer Weekly that the proposals didn’t appear to have been fully worked out yet and that it was hoping that more details would emerge in a government consultation due to be published next month. James Baker, a programme manager and campaigner at the Open Rights Group, said that Cybersecurity authorities including the UK’s National Cyber Security Centre, advocate the use of VPNs to enhance online safety.

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