Oxford Internet Institute (OII)

Safer Internet Day 2026 with Dr Vicki Nash

On Safer Internet Day 2026, Dr. Vicki Nash highlighted the UK’s Online Safety Act, which obliges online pornography providers to verify users are at least 18. The law makes it illegal to supply adult content to minors, positioning age‑verification as a cornerstone of the government’s digital safety agenda. Nash cited recent data showing a surge in virtual private network (VPN) downloads, a clear indicator that young people are circumventing the mandated checks. She argued that while the legislation is well‑intentioned, the technical controls are being eroded by social behavior, exposing a gap between policy and practice. “No technical fix is ever perfect,” Nash warned, emphasizing that reliance on age‑gates alone is insufficient. She suggested additional device‑level verification and, more critically, comprehensive sex‑education curricula that address pornography’s production and risks. The discussion underscores a broader policy dilemma: regulators must blend stronger technological safeguards with education and awareness initiatives to truly protect under‑18 users. Failure to do so could pressure the industry into costly compliance overhauls and invite further legislative scrutiny.