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A new ban on VPNs could hit web users in the UK following a vote on a law change.

The House of Lords has now passed a vote which would, if approved by the government, see an amendment to a law which would ban under-18s from using a Virtual Private Network (VPN).

VPNs have increasingly been used in the UK since the Online Safety Act was put in place. Often used by employers to create a network to share resources, VPNs can also be used to spoof or hide your browsing location, thereby sidestepping geographical restrictions. A VPN is a system which connects somebody's device - normally a computer or smartphone - to a server in a different location. This means that the websites that person visits cannot see their IP address.

It is used by many people for privacy or getting around restrictions that websites put on who can visit a page. It can also be useful for allowing people to work from home and still access their workplace's resources.

Last week, a Conservative-led amendment in the House of Lords called for a change to the Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill following calls from campaigners including Hollywood star Hugh Grant.

Peers backed by 207 votes to 159, a ban on providing VPN services to children over concerns they can be used to bypass age verification restrictions on accessing adult content.

Changes made by peers to the Bill will be considered by MPs during the process known as ping-pong, when legislation is batted between the Commons and Lords until agreement is reached.

Separately, in a heavy Government defeat, peers supported a ban on social media for under 16s too.

Supporters of the Australian-style ban have argued parents are in "an impossible position" with regard to the online harms their children are being exposed to.

Technology Secretary Liz Kendall announced a three-month consultation this week, which will consider the advantages and disadvantages of a ban, as well as possible overnight curfews and actions to prevent "doom-scrolling", before reporting back in the summer.

However, Tory former schools minister Lord Nash, who has spearheaded calls for a ban, argued the late concession simply represented more delay.

He said: "The Government's consultation is, in my view, unnecessary, misconceived and clearly a last-minute attempt to kick this can down the road."

Proposing an amendment to the Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill, the Conservative peer told the upper chamber: "Many teenagers are spending long hours - five, six, seven or more a day - on social media.

"The evidence is now overwhelming as to the damage that this is causing.

"We have long passed the point of correlation or causation. There is now so much evidence from across the world that it is clear that by every measure, health, cognitive ability, educational attainment, crime, economic productivity, children are being harmed."

He added: "This is going to happen. The only question is when. We have the opportunity to do it now in this Bill, and every day which passes, more damage is being done to children. We must act now."

A Government spokesperson said: "We will take action to give children a healthier relationship with mobile phones and social media.

"It is important we get this right, which is why we have launched a consultation and will work with experts, parents and young people to ensure we take the best approach, based on evidence."