The recent enforcement of age verification laws in the UK has led to a significant surge in the downloads of Virtual Private Network (VPN) applications, particularly on Apple’s App Store. After major adult content sites like PornHub, Reddit, and X began requiring users to verify their ages, VPN applications swiftly rose to prominence among the most downloaded apps. This dramatic shift highlights how individuals are increasingly turning to VPNs as a tool to navigate new restrictions stemming from the Online Safety Act, which urges platforms offering certain adult content to implement stringent age verification processes.
On the morning following the implementation of these age checks, nearly half of the top ten free applications listed in the UK’s Apple App Store were VPN services. One notable app developer reported a staggering 1,800% increase in usage, underscoring the growing trend among users seeking to evade these requirements. VPNs function by masking a user’s true online location, allowing them to access the internet from a different country, thus bypassing the new age verification protocols.
The Online Safety Act mandates platforms that provide pornographic and other potentially harmful content to employ “robust” measures to ascertain whether users are over or under the age of eighteen. This could include asking users to upload a form of identification or taking a selfie for facial recognition purposes. While these measures aim to protect minors from accessing adult content, they have raised concerns around data privacy and the potential misuse of personal information.
Security experts have also warned that while VPNs can offer anonymity, many free VPN applications come with their own set of risks and privacy concerns. Daniel Card, a cybersecurity expert with the Chartered Institute for IT, noted that numerous free VPN services may introduce vulnerabilities or act as data brokers for harvesting user information. This leaves users, especially children curious to access age-restricted materials, exposed to considerable risks.
In the context of this new legislation, children’s safety advocates, such as Katie Freeman-Tayler from Internet Matters, echoed similar concerns. She highlighted how accessible and inexpensive VPN services could enable children to circumvent protections established by the Online Safety Act. However, Ofcom, the UK’s communications regulator, stated that platforms must not facilitate methods that promote the circumvention of age verification processes.
Proton VPN, a privacy-focused application operated by the Swiss firm Proton, reported a substantial 1,800% increase in daily sign-ups over the weekend when the age verification rules went into effect. This trend indicates a significant public willingness to pursue VPN services in light of privacy apprehensions stirred by universal age verification laws. Many free VPN services are primarily funded by advertisements, but they assure users that they do not share personal information with third parties. Yet, these reassurances may be insufficient, as many ordinary users may inadvertently compromise their data when selecting free or less reputable VPN apps that promise anonymity but may lack credible privacy safeguards.
The Online Safety Act’s objective is to provide a safety net for children from adult content through methods such as age verification. Yet, the real-time reaction of users seeking VPNs raises questions about the effectiveness and the potential unintended consequences of such legislation. While designed to protect, critics argue that the introduction of access barriers may inadvertently lead to the creation of loopholes that users are eager to exploit in pursuit of accessing content.
As this situation evolves, it remains critical to oversee how effective these age verification methods will be in achieving their intended objectives without compromising user privacy or security. The ongoing dialogue highlights the balance that must be struck between ensuring online safety for younger individuals while allowing adults to maintain their privacy and freedom online.
