Originally Posted by jem
Yes, of course they can, but VPN is a technology, it doesn’t really equate to goods or services. Right now, I am sitting on the outside terrace of a wine bar, overlooking a lake whilst connected via a VPN to one of my client’s network and fixing an issue with their backup system.
Yes any proposed ‘ban’ or ‘restrictions’ on VPNs will absolutely need massive exemptions otherwise, kiss goodbye to any sort of remote working, plus a mass exodus of companies from the UK. And I can promise that these legal exemptions will be so wide that anyone could drive a proverbial ‘coach and horses’ through them. In effect they will achieve nothing.
Some internet browsers, cough, Opera, cough, have a built-in, sort-of VPN - actually it’s not a VPN more of a remote proxy. Is use of this browser to be banned? How? Using Opera, it currently thinks I am in Norway (tomorrow, I’ll be somewhere else - possibly Belgium), I’ll browse to a porn site. Does it demand proof of my age? No it doesn’t, because, apparently, I’m not in the UK.
Everything eventually comes down to everyone has to prove who they are and prove they are over 18 by handing over personal information. This is not good!
You said yourself that apparently 85% of Australian under age people were still using social media (citation needed, as the last I heard it was more like 70%), which says what? Bans simply don’t work, they never have and never will*.
Now here’s a thought, what is it that we are trying to achieve, is it to protect young people from harm? Which is an admirable aim, fine. Do you try to ban the ’source of harm’, or maybe spend money in education, educate young people to identify what is wrong, if it ‘feels’ wrong to you, it probably is, move on! Encourage young people to discuss what they encounter with their parents**, or teachers, or even their friends and peers.
Education is going to be vastly more effective then legislation.
* see prohibition in the US. That worked well didn’t it?
** and yes I know some parents should never have been allowed to have children, but it is what it is.
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