Overview

• The Online Safety Act’s age-verification rules took effect on July 25, prompting a reported 1,800% spike in Proton VPN signups during the following weekend.
• VPN apps have climbed to the top of the Apple and Google app store charts in the UK as users seek to bypass mandatory age checks on adult content.
• Privacy analysts warn that many popular free VPNs may log user data and lack robust encryption, heightening risks to personal information.
• NordVPN is offering £20 Amazon gift cards for two-year Plus subscriptions and £50 for Ultimate plans, and other providers have launched similar promotional incentives.
• Ofcom has declared it illegal for platforms to promote VPNs as a means to evade age verification, and over 420,000 people have signed a petition calling for repeal of the law.