Safer Internet Day 2026 with Dr Vicki Nash

Why It Matters

The rise of VPN‑enabled circumvention threatens the effectiveness of the Online Safety Act, compelling policymakers and platforms to adopt a hybrid approach of tech controls and education to safeguard minors.

Key Takeaways

• UK Online Safety Act mandates age checks for porn providers.
• VPN usage spikes, allowing minors to bypass age verification.
• Technical safeguards are limited; workarounds expose regulatory gaps.
• Experts call for stronger device checks and school-based education.
• Social measures needed alongside tech to protect under‑18 internet users.

Summary

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.

Original Description

Dr Vicki Nash, Associate Professor and Senior Policy Fellow, Oxford Internet Institute, discusses the evidence for banning social media for under 16s.  She weighs up the harms, benefits and complexity of such a measure in this new video to mark Safer Internet Day.