Overview

• Platforms including Reddit, X, Discord, Bluesky and Pornhub have implemented facial scans, photo ID uploads and credit-card checks to verify user ages.
• VPN downloads have surged, with Proton VPN reporting a 1,800% spike in UK sign-ups as people seek to bypass mandatory checks.
• A petition nearing 500,000 signatures will be considered for debate in Parliament, reflecting escalating public opposition to the law’s scope.
• US House Republicans led by Jim Jordan met British officials and Ofcom to denounce the Act as censorship and threaten visa bans for regulators.
• Ofcom insists that legal adult content must remain available to verified users and warns platforms against over-removal under threat of up to £18 million in fines.