One Year On: The UK’s Online Safety Act and Its Impact on Children’s Digital World

Today, July 25, 2026, marks the first anniversary of the full implementation of key duties within the UK's Online Safety Act. This legislative milestone, which came into force on July 25, 2025, aimed to radically improve child protection online, particularly through stricter age verification rules and reducing exposure to harmful content. But what have been its real impacts after a year of operation, and what can we learn from the UK's experience for global efforts towards a safer digital environment for children and young people?

How the UK Act works and its intended benefits

The Online Safety Act mandates online platforms to implement robust age verification mechanisms and conduct risk assessments for children. The goal is to prevent minors from accessing inappropriate content and to reduce the spread of online predation and cyberbullying. The regulator, Ofcom, has been empowered to enforce these duties, primarily targeting large adult content platforms.

The principle is clear: if a platform could be accessed by children, it must actively ensure their safety. This includes not only technical barriers but also transparent policies and rapid responses to reported harmful content. These steps were expected to create a safer digital space and compel tech giants to take greater responsibility for the content they host.

Unintended consequences: The rise of VPNs and shifting problems

The first year of the Online Safety Act's operation has also revealed several unexpected challenges. One of the most significant unintended consequences is the increase in VPN (Virtual Private Network) usage among young people in the UK. Data from late 2025 by Proton VPN showed a notable surge in UK sign-ups precisely after the Act's introduction. The reason is evident: VPNs allow users to bypass geographical restrictions and age controls, which paradoxically might expose young users to even greater risks, as they often resort to less secure or unreliable VPN services.

As Konstantin Levinzon, co-founder of Planet VPN, noted, "The biggest unintended consequence has been pushing people towards less secure tools, not more careful online behaviour." Instead of enhancing safety, a portion of users are seeking ways to circumvent regulation, creating new vulnerabilities and complicating oversight. The problem has thus shifted rather than being resolved.

A global wave of regulation and differing approaches

The UK Act is not an isolated case; it is part of a global wave of efforts to regulate the digital environment for children. Countries worldwide, from the US to Europe and Asia, are introducing or proposing their own legislation.

• Florida, for example, implemented a ban on social media for individuals under 14 on June 15, 2026, with parental consent required for ages 14-15.
• The French Parliament approved a ban on social media for children under 15 in July 2026, effective September 1, 2026, for new users and January 2027 for existing ones.
• The European Commission plans to introduce a "social media start date" for children, proposing a "safe as default" access from age 13.
• Gabon has implemented some of the strictest age verification requirements, demanding name, address, and personal identification number for platform access.

These diverse approaches highlight the absence of a unified global strategy and simultaneously underscore the technical and ethical challenges associated with effective age verification. Critics, including digital and civil rights organizations, warn of the risks of normalizing surveillance and restricting freedom of expression, particularly through the elimination of anonymous accounts. Furthermore, in the US Senate, several bills concerning children's online safety and AI are expected to be debated, indicating ongoing political activity in this area.

How to protect children in the digital world? A checklist for parents and schools

Regulation is just one piece of the puzzle. True protection for children in the digital environment requires a comprehensive approach that combines a legislative framework with practical education and the active role of parents and schools. Based on the past year's experience and global trends, I recommend the following steps:

Checklist for children's digital safety:

• Education and Digital Literacy: Regularly discuss online risks, privacy, cyberbullying, and critical thinking about content consumption with children. Teach them to recognize misinformation and verify sources.
• Technological Tools: Use parental controls and filters, but do not rely on them as the sole protection. Explain to children why these restrictions are in place.
• Privacy Settings: Teach children how to correctly set privacy settings on social media and in apps. Emphasize that not everything online is true or safe.
• Open Communication: Create an environment where children are not afraid to talk about their online experiences, whether positive or negative. Be their support and solve problems together.
• Role Modeling: Be a good digital role model yourself. Limit your own screen time and practice digital hygiene.
• School Policies: Schools should have clear policies for addressing cyberbullying and online safety, regularly educate teachers and students, and collaborate with parents.
• Age Verification: Although technically challenging, it is important to support robust and privacy-respecting age verification methods that prevent minors from accessing inappropriate content.
• Support for Victims: Ensure children know where to turn in case of cyberbullying or other online issues. Support organizations like onesafety that focus on prevention and crisis resolution.

Conclusion: Shared responsibility for a safer online world

The experience with the UK's Online Safety Act shows us that the path to a safe digital environment for children is complex and full of surprises. Regulation is necessary, but it is not enough on its own. It requires continuous learning, adaptation, and collaboration across governments, technology companies, schools, parents, and children themselves. The goal should not just be to prohibit, but primarily to educate for responsible and critical use of technology. Only then can we truly protect the most vulnerable in the digital age. Learn more about prevention and crisis situations on our project onesafety.

FAQ

• Q: What is the main goal of the UK's Online Safety Act?

A: The main goal is to protect children online by requiring platforms to implement age verification, risk assessments, and measures to reduce exposure to harmful content.

• Q: What are the main unintended consequences of the Act?

A: One key unintended consequence is the rise in VPN usage, which allows bypassing age restrictions and can lead to the use of less secure tools, creating new vulnerabilities.

• Q: How do regulatory approaches differ in other countries?

A: Countries like the USA (Florida), France, and the European Union are introducing various forms of restrictions on minors' access to social media, from outright bans to "safe by default" approaches, indicating a non-uniform global strategy and technical challenges.

• Q: What can parents and schools do to enhance children's online safety?

A: Parents and schools should focus on a combination of digital literacy education, open communication about online experiences, privacy settings, technological tools, and active support for victims. It is also important to lead by example and collaborate.