Ofcom monitoring VPN usage in the UK

[TheButcher]

What a surprise! Ofcom monitoring VPN usage in the UK. And you think VPN hides your location and identity?


"The UK's communications regulator, Ofcom, has told TechRadar that it's using an unnamed third-party tool to monitor VPN use in the UK.

The agency responsible for implementing the Online Safety Act refused to name the platform. However, it seems to have artificial intelligence capabilities and – despite assurances that personal information isn't being accessed – privacy concerns remain.

This comes after a tech minister,Baroness Lloyd, said in the UK House of Lords that "nothing is off the table" when it comes to protecting children online, though she acknowledged there are "no current plans to ban the use of VPNs".

Open Rights Group, a leading UK civil society organization, warns that any attempt to restrict VPNs would have "a negative impact on free expression and privacy.”
What did Ofcom say?

We contacted Ofcom and asked them to clarify how it's accessing information about VPN use in the UK. Here’s the statement we received via email:

We use a leading third-party provider, which is widely used in the industry, to gather information on VPN usage. The provider combines multiple data sources to train its models and generate usage estimates. The data we access and use in our analyses is fully aggregated at the app level, and no personally identifiable or user-level information is ever included."

Although Ofcom has been transparent about the existence of VPN monitoring, this is the first time it has provided any information outlining the methods it is using.

Unfortunately, though, the agency's response raises more questions than it answers.
What didn't Ofcom say?

While using a third-party vendor isn't surprising, the fact that Ofcom refuses to identify who it is raises concerns.

Ofcom has not responded to our follow-up request for additional information. That means there's no way for the public to know whether the data provider is a company with a track record of protecting people’s privacy, or one known to use invasive surveillance techniques.

Ofcom’s statement also suggests it’s relying on a tool with AI capabilities (as it "combines multiple data sources to train its models"), but the exact functions of the platform remain hidden.

Given that there are so many potential sources of this data – from internet service providers (ISPs) to website administrator logs – it’s nearly impossible to assess the platform's potential accuracy or privacy credentials without additional details.

Similarly, while identifiable information may be excluded from the data that Ofcom analyzed, there’s nothing that suggests the data is not at risk of re-identification.

Finally, the fact that a regulator is using tools (and therefore presumably spending money and resources) to specifically track the public’s use of software designed to enhance digital privacy is likely to ring alarm bells. However well-intentioned, tracking the use of VPNs risks undermining their very purpose as a privacy tool.
Why monitor VPNs?

VPNs pose a problem to the UK government and Ofcom, specifically with regard to the controversial Online Safety Act, because VPNs allow people to bypass age checks. They do this by connecting to a VPN server in a different country where those age checks do not occur.

By Ofcom's own estimates, the number of daily VPN users rose to around 1.5 million following the introduction of mandatory age checks on adult websites earlier this year. However, without additional transparency about how the agency came up with this number – which may have relied on the same secret tool – it’s impossible to tell how accurate it is.

It's understandable that Ofcom wants to monitor the use of VPNs to determine if the new legislation is working as intended. The problem is that the method it's using may be inaccurate or actively threatening people’s privacy.
Advertisement

An increase in the number of people using VPNs doesn't necessarily mean people are bypassing the law, either. "It’s important to note VPNs can help protect children's security online too, they aren’t just used to avoid content blocks," says James Baker, Program Manager at Open Rights Group.

Several VPNs now offer adult site blocking as part of their subscription plans, including NordVPN and Surfshark the latter of which recently introduced its Web Content Blocker tool specifically for the protection of children.

NordVPN's tool automatically restricts access to adult websites and helps identify malicious websites while you're browsing. Surfshark's is able to prevent children from accessing a wide range of inappropriate material, as well as offering protection from malware and phishing sites."




https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/exc ... 28936.html

[jag]

Are they saying there is a back door to the VPN's?

[workman]

Ofcom is their FTC?

[tacnet]

Ofcom is their FTC?

Ofcom is our communications watchdog. They monitor phone, internet and TV here in the UK.

I suspect that they can see the meta data (ie how many people are using VPNs) as that wouldn't be too difficult. If you know the IPs of the VPN servers then the ISP can simply monitor traffic to those servers. What they probably CANT do is actually read any data going via the VPN. If that were possible, then the entire VPN industry would go out of business very quickly

[TheButcher]

I suspect that they can see the meta data (ie how many people are using VPNs) as that wouldn't be too difficult. If you know the IPs of the VPN servers then the ISP can simply monitor traffic to those servers. What they probably CANT do is actually read any data going via the VPN. If that were possible, then the entire VPN industry would go out of business very quickly

The traffic for sure but I would not put it past some third party backdoor setup that can see what your location and websites you visit are.

[GlennfromLA]

Why are they so anti-porn in the UK

[PornPete]

If VPN can be tracked and they can see your surfing it's the end of thr VPN market

[tacnet]

This is a bit like Whatsapp and Messenger with their end-to-end encryption. People can see who you are talking to but they cant see what you are saying. Its the same with VPNs

If it ever came out that there was a back door in any of these system then the whole thing would close down immediately.

[tacnet]

Why are they so anti-porn in the UK

It's not just the UK. It's happening in France, Italy and several US states already. This will be a global thing over the next few years in my opinion

[DonMK]

Why are they so anti-porn in the UK

It's not just the UK. It's happening in France, Italy and several US states already. This will be a global thing over the next few years in my opinion

Yeh add to that more places will ban the use of VPN's to surf porn sites.

[Ricks-Cams]

can VPN traffic be monitored to see who is going to which site, I doubt it if it is rally encrypted.

[NSWDave]

We have a few regulators here.

The eSafety Commissioner which enforces the Online Safety Act 2021.
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC)
The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA)

Not just the one.

[greatpornlinks]

What a surprise! Ofcom monitoring VPN usage in the UK. And you think VPN hides your location and identity?


"The UK's communications regulator, Ofcom, has told TechRadar that it's using an unnamed third-party tool to monitor VPN use in the UK.

The agency responsible for implementing the Online Safety Act refused to name the platform. However, it seems to have artificial intelligence capabilities and – despite assurances that personal information isn't being accessed – privacy concerns remain.

This comes after a tech minister,Baroness Lloyd, said in the UK House of Lords that "nothing is off the table" when it comes to protecting children online, though she acknowledged there are "no current plans to ban the use of VPNs".

Open Rights Group, a leading UK civil society organization, warns that any attempt to restrict VPNs would have "a negative impact on free expression and privacy.”
What did Ofcom say?

We contacted Ofcom and asked them to clarify how it's accessing information about VPN use in the UK. Here’s the statement we received via email:

We use a leading third-party provider, which is widely used in the industry, to gather information on VPN usage. The provider combines multiple data sources to train its models and generate usage estimates. The data we access and use in our analyses is fully aggregated at the app level, and no personally identifiable or user-level information is ever included."

Although Ofcom has been transparent about the existence of VPN monitoring, this is the first time it has provided any information outlining the methods it is using.

Unfortunately, though, the agency's response raises more questions than it answers.
What didn't Ofcom say?

While using a third-party vendor isn't surprising, the fact that Ofcom refuses to identify who it is raises concerns.

Ofcom has not responded to our follow-up request for additional information. That means there's no way for the public to know whether the data provider is a company with a track record of protecting people’s privacy, or one known to use invasive surveillance techniques.

Ofcom’s statement also suggests it’s relying on a tool with AI capabilities (as it "combines multiple data sources to train its models"), but the exact functions of the platform remain hidden.

Given that there are so many potential sources of this data – from internet service providers (ISPs) to website administrator logs – it’s nearly impossible to assess the platform's potential accuracy or privacy credentials without additional details.

Similarly, while identifiable information may be excluded from the data that Ofcom analyzed, there’s nothing that suggests the data is not at risk of re-identification.

Finally, the fact that a regulator is using tools (and therefore presumably spending money and resources) to specifically track the public’s use of software designed to enhance digital privacy is likely to ring alarm bells. However well-intentioned, tracking the use of VPNs risks undermining their very purpose as a privacy tool.
Why monitor VPNs?

VPNs pose a problem to the UK government and Ofcom, specifically with regard to the controversial Online Safety Act, because VPNs allow people to bypass age checks. They do this by connecting to a VPN server in a different country where those age checks do not occur.

By Ofcom's own estimates, the number of daily VPN users rose to around 1.5 million following the introduction of mandatory age checks on adult websites earlier this year. However, without additional transparency about how the agency came up with this number – which may have relied on the same secret tool – it’s impossible to tell how accurate it is.

It's understandable that Ofcom wants to monitor the use of VPNs to determine if the new legislation is working as intended. The problem is that the method it's using may be inaccurate or actively threatening people’s privacy.
Advertisement

An increase in the number of people using VPNs doesn't necessarily mean people are bypassing the law, either. "It’s important to note VPNs can help protect children's security online too, they aren’t just used to avoid content blocks," says James Baker, Program Manager at Open Rights Group.

Several VPNs now offer adult site blocking as part of their subscription plans, including NordVPN and Surfshark the latter of which recently introduced its Web Content Blocker tool specifically for the protection of children.

NordVPN's tool automatically restricts access to adult websites and helps identify malicious websites while you're browsing. Surfshark's is able to prevent children from accessing a wide range of inappropriate material, as well as offering protection from malware and phishing sites."




https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/exc ... 28936.html

It's bound to be done here one of these days, especially in states where porn is banned.

[GRXlinks]

The name makes sense for what they are doing.....OFF COMMUNICATION.

[britporn_mike]

The name makes sense for what they are doing.....OFF COMMUNICATION.

They are a pain in the you knows what