Telegram founder and CEO Pavel Durov criticizes the UK government’s proposal to restrict children under 16 from using social media. In comments reported by multiple outlets, Durov argues that the measure would not prevent online harm but instead could push teenagers toward workarounds such as VPNs, which he says would make it harder to monitor activity. He also contends that any intended protective effect would be undermined, potentially increasing exposure to illegal or unsafe content.
Durov’s remarks include a comparison to Russia’s approach to internet restrictions, which he presents as an example of how broader censorship can lead users to bypass controls rather than stop access. The criticism focuses on the likely practical impact of a blanket age-based ban and the risk that enforcement could drive traffic to less regulated channels.
While the two reports emphasize different phrasing—one highlighting a sharper “move to VPNs” claim and the other focusing on illegal content risk—they both attribute the main argument to Durov and frame it as opposition to the proposed UK policy.
