UK VPN Usage Soars After Online Safety Act

Following the UK's implementation of the Online Safety Act, which requires strict age verification for accessing adult and potentially harmful content on sites such as Pornhub, Reddit, and X, VPN apps have surged to dominate the UK Apple App Store rankings. Proton VPN reported a 1,400% increase in UK sign-ups, while another developer cited an 1,800% spike in downloads as users seek to bypass verification processes that involve sharing sensitive personal data like photo IDs or facial scans. VPNs allow users to mask their location and appear to be browsing from outside the UK, effectively circumventing the new restrictions. Both adults and children are reportedly using VPNs to evade age checks, raising concerns that the law's intent to protect minors is being undermined. Cybersecurity experts warn that many free VPN services may expose users to privacy and security risks, including data harvesting and cyberattacks. The trend underscores growing tensions between digital privacy concerns and the enforcement of online safety regulations.