Telegram founder Pavel Durov has warned that proposed UK restrictions on social media use by minors could push teenagers toward less regulated parts of the internet rather than improving their online safety.
The UK government is considering measures that would prohibit children under 16 from accessing major social media platforms such as Instagram and TikTok, as well as streaming services including Twitch and Kick. Officials have also proposed an overnight curfew for under-18s aimed at reducing excessive social media use.
While messaging services such as WhatsApp, Signal and Telegram are not expected to be covered by the restrictions, Durov argues that young users are likely to bypass the measures through virtual private networks (VPNs).
“We’ve seen this before. When the Russian government banned Telegram, 95% of Russian teenagers kept using it. They just moved to VPNs,” said the Russian-born technology entrepreneur.
The UK government has framed the proposals as part of a broader effort to protect children online and establish safeguards for future generations. Critics, however, question whether such restrictions can effectively address the habits of a generation that has grown up with digital platforms.
Durov’s concerns extend beyond the effectiveness of the ban itself. He argues that age-verification requirements could have broader implications for privacy and cybersecurity because adults, not just minors, may be required to provide proof of age.
Depending on the verification method adopted by platforms, users could be asked to submit identification documents, biometric information or banking details. The government has indicated that some adults may be exempt from additional verification if they meet certain conditions, including having long-established accounts, linked payment cards or previous verification under the Online Safety Act.
Durov contends that expanding data collection requirements could create additional risks for citizens.
He argues that such measures are particularly concerning because “thousands…are already being arrested for political posts every year.”
Questioning the motivation behind the proposals, Durov asked: “Is it really about protecting children or identifying more people to arrest?”
A key element of Durov’s criticism focuses on the role of VPNs, which allow users to bypass geographic restrictions and conceal their online location.
According to Durov, social media restrictions could encourage teenagers to adopt VPNs in greater numbers. He argues that young users who are blocked from mainstream platforms may be “forced to switch to VPNs,” where they can “unlock far worse illegal content.”
VPNs are widely used for legitimate purposes, including enhancing online privacy, securing internet connections and accessing content unavailable in certain jurisdictions. However, they can also be used to circumvent parental controls, school network restrictions and government-imposed content blocks.
Research from Childnet and Nominet found that approximately 21% of children aged 8 to 17 have used a VPN, with privacy cited as the most common reason. Around 30% reported using VPNs to access content unavailable in their location.
The use of VPNs among young people in the UK has reportedly increased since the introduction of the Online Safety Act. Children have also reported using VPNs to bypass parental restrictions, avoid network monitoring and gain access to blocked websites and services.
Critics of the proposed restrictions argue that such measures may be difficult to enforce in practice, as VPN technology allows users to route internet traffic through countries with fewer content restrictions, potentially exposing them to material that would otherwise remain inaccessible.
