Petition · Department for Culture, Media and Sport
Enact new law prohibiting use of the internet for children under the age of 18
Closed
40 signatures
What the petition asks
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.
Timeline
| 18 Sep 2025 | Petition opened for signatures |
| 18 Mar 2026 | Closed to new signatures |
Key facts
Signatures
40
Status
Closed
Department
Department for Culture, Media and Sport
Opened
18 Sep 2025
Closed
18 Mar 2026
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Source: the official petition page. Last checked 22 Aug 2026.