UCU: VPN Restrictions

Motion

Motion text: Congress notes:
1. In January 2026, the House of Lords voted for an amendment to the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill which would restrict access to Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) to over-18s.
2. VPN usage in the UK has skyrocketed since the Online Safety Act, demonstrating the public’s increasing concern for privacy.
3. Many members rely on VPNs to access academic resources from home, particularly disabled members.
Congress believes:
a. Age verification checks using facial recognition and ID scanning raise serious concerns regarding necessity and proportionality under Article 5 (1)(c) of the GDPR.
b. Restrictions on VPNs disproportionately impact disabled members, who rely on them to access data remotely and securely.
Congress resolves to:
i. Raise awareness of the increased impact of VPN restrictions on disabled members.
ii. Lobby Government to ensure VPNs remain an accessible means to protect our members’ privacy and autonomy.