Closed petition: Enact new law prohibiting use of the internet for children under the age of 18

Closed on 18 March 2026

Some children are using VPNs to circumvent the age-related provisions in the Online Safety Act. I propose that to protect children it should be illegal for anybody under the age of 18 to access the internet. This would protect children from the dangers of the internet and preserve internet privacy.

I feel this problem is far worse than what the government is currently aware of. We need to make drastic changes to safeguard the lives and futures of children in the UK. Just like cigarettes and alcohol I feel the use of the internet also needs to be prohibited to those under 18 years, and that this would end online child sexploitation but also other problems like cyber bullying and online grooming. An exception could be made in education, only to be accessible under watchful eyes of schools.