{"id":2556088,"date":"2026-01-28T21:13:58","date_gmt":"2026-01-29T02:13:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/uk-labour-partys-bid-to-stifle-vpns-a-longterm-pattern-9\/"},"modified":"2026-01-28T21:15:42","modified_gmt":"2026-01-29T02:15:42","slug":"uk-labour-partys-bid-to-stifle-vpns-a-longterm-pattern-9","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/uk-labour-partys-bid-to-stifle-vpns-a-longterm-pattern-9\/","title":{"rendered":"UK Labour Party\u2019s bid to stifle VPNs a \u2018longterm pattern&#8217;"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">20<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fuk-labour-partys-bid-to-stifle-vpns-a-longterm-pattern-9%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2556088&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>Tiana Lowe Doescher, a Washington Examiner economics columnist, says scrutiny of the U.K.\u2019s Online Safety Act reflects a broader effort under Prime Minister Keir Starmer\u2019s Labor government to eliminate online anonymity and \u201cworkarounds\u201d such as VPNs. U.S. figures including Vice President JD Vance have criticized the law, warning it could lead to heavy-handed censorship.<\/p>\n<p>Doescher noted VPN use in the U.K. rose after the law passed and ministers have discussed banning them\u2014an action that would align the U.K. with countries that restrict internet access. She contrasted narrowly targeted U.S. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/big-tech-is-the-new-big-tobacco\/\" title=\"Big Tech Is The New Big Tobacco\">age-verification measures<\/a> for adult sites with the Online Safety Act\u2019s broad definitions of \u201charmful content,\u201d arguing those sweeping rules give the state expansive control and reflect different <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/christiana-kiefer-biden-admin-forces-professors-to-fall-in-line-with-radical-gender-ideology\/\" title=\"Christiana Kiefer: Biden Admin Forces Professors to Fall in Line With Radical Gender Ideology\">free-speech protections<\/a>. Doescher also said speech-related arrests have increased, accused the government of paying insufficient attention to physical harm against children, and reported that Pornhub operator Aylo plans to stop accepting new U.K. users in response to the law.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-header-search-button-mob dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search\" aria-labelledby=\"td-header-search-button\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search-inner\">\n<form method=\"get\" class=\"tdb-search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><\/form>\n<div class=\"tdb-aj-search\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/#\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Search\" class=\"tdb-head-search-btn dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">UK Labour Party&rsquo;s bid to stifle VPNs a &lsquo;longterm pattern&rsquo; against anonymity: Tiana Doescher<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div id=\"Brid_2465203\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p><em>Washington Examiner<\/em> economics columnist Tiana Lowe Doescher said Wednesday that the scrutiny over the United Kingdom&rsquo;s Online Safety Act is &ldquo;clearly&rdquo; a bid to shut down &ldquo;workarounds for internet anonymity.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Various United States officials, including Vice President JD Vance, have criticized the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.gov.uk\/government\/publications\/online-safety-act-explainer\/online-safety-act-explainer\">U.K.&rsquo;s Online Safety Act<\/a>, a set of laws that aims to protect children and adults by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/uk-labour-partys-bid-to-stifle-vpns-a-longterm-pattern\/\" title=\"UK Labour Party...s bid to ... a \u2018longterm pattern&#039;\">tasking social media companies<\/a> and search services with online safety. Vance warned last year that the U.K. could go down a <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/opinion\/3498249\/state-of-free-speech-britain-america\/\">&ldquo;very dark path&rdquo;<\/a> of censorship with this law, saying the U.S. went down this path under the Biden administration.<\/p>\n<div class=\"recommended-stories\">\n<h2>Recommended Stories<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/justice\/4435428\/social-media-companies-face-first-trial-over-addiction-to-their-platforms\/\">Social media companies face first trial over addiction to their platforms<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/business\/4430767\/tiktok-finalizes-deal-us-operations-trump-investors\/\">TikTok finalizes deal handing control of US operations to Trump-backed investors<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p>The U.K.&rsquo;s use of Virtual Private Networks has increased after the Online Safety Act passed last year, prompting some U.K. ministers to float a possible ban on VPNs.<\/p>\n<p>Doescher downplayed the idea that the U.K.&rsquo;s clampdown on internet use is similar to Iran&rsquo;s, though a ban on VPNs would put the U.K. in the company of countries like North Korea that have enacted such bans.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;I think, as far as why U.S. officials or why our diplomats are so concerned, beyond just the special relationship and affection that we have four our older sibling the U.K., is the fact that clearly this is just part of a longer pattern of the Labour government under Keir Starmer wanting to make sure that there are no workarounds for internet anonymity,&rdquo; Doescher said on <em>GB News.<\/em><\/p>\n<div style=\"width: 100%; max-width: 640px; max-height: 360px; min-width: 320px; min-height: 180px; overflow: hidden;\">\n<div style=\"position: relative; width: 100%; padding-top: 56.25%;\"><iframe src=\"https:\/\/share.grabien.com\/share?id=3348400&amp;userid=11311&amp;loginid=9421&amp;playercolor=%23000000&amp;playersize=auto&amp;code=188c38229a1d648b770a1386521352ac\" style=\"position: absolute; top: 0px; left: 0px; width: 100%; height: 100%; border: 0px;\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Doescher added that individual U.S. states will <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/uk-labour-partys-bid-to-stifle-vpns-a-longterm-pattern-2\/\" title=\"UK Labour Party...s bid to ... a \u2018longterm pattern&#039;\">mandate age verification &#038;ldquo<\/a>;specifically, very narrowly tailored&rdquo; for websites like pornography, and this hasn&rsquo;t led to &ldquo;overreach.&rdquo; Meanwhile, the U.K.&rsquo;s Online Safety Act has &ldquo;sweeping and broad&rdquo; definitions of what counts as &ldquo;harmful content,&rdquo; ensuring that the state has &ldquo;total control.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;And again, when the definitions of what constitutes harm are very narrow, the U.K. obviously doesn&rsquo;t have a First Amendment the same way the U.S. does. You are a separate country, you have certain prerogatives,&rdquo; Doescher said.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/opinion\/beltway-confidential\/4436206\/european-nationalist-conflicts-will-rise-in-americas-absence\/\"><strong>EUROPEAN NATIONALIST CONFLICTS WILL RISE IN AMERICA&rsquo;S ABSENCE<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;But then, when you go through the minutiae of bans on bullying content or content, which incite hatred against people who have the characteristic of gender reassignment, everyone sees the direction that the U.K. is going.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Doescher also said while arrests for &ldquo;<a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >speech-related offenses&#038;rdquo<\/a>; have tripled in the last decade, the Labour government has given &ldquo;very little attention&rdquo; to physical harm on children, citing statistics that &ldquo;seem to indicate&rdquo; that the U.K. has the highest rate of rape &ldquo;of any other European nation.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Aylo, a Cyprus-based company operating various pornography websites like PornHub, <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.gbnews.com\/politics\/online-safety-act-forces-major-website-quit-uk-campaginer-warning\">has said it will &ldquo;no longer participate in the failed system&rdquo;<\/a> put in place under the Online Safety Act. <\/p>\n<p>Beginning Feb. 2, Pornhub will no longer accept new users.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>UK VPN crackdown seen as attack on anonymity<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2632,"featured_media":2556089,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/AP26028441465144_7d27a9-e1769635145895.jpg?w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651,538],"tags":[45262,72145,33958,37154,23204],"class_list":["post-2556088","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","category-washington-examiner","tag-digital-privacy","tag-internet-censorship","tag-labour-party","tag-uk-politics","tag-vpns"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/AP26028441465144_7d27a9-e1769635145895.jpg?w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2556088","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2632"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2556088"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2556088\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2556092,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2556088\/revisions\/2556092"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2556089"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2556088"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2556088"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2556088"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}