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22h ago

UK’s Online Safety Act Drives VPN Boom, No Ban Planned

Ofcom’s enforcement of mandatory age checks has driven a 6,430% surge in VPN downloads, with regulators warning platforms that promoting circumvention tools to minors could trigger fines.

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The video game Death Stranding has a photo mode that has been used to bypass age verification systems.

Overview

  • Ofcom reports that over 6,600 adult websites and major platforms including Reddit, X and Bluesky have implemented regulator-approved age-verification checks since July 25
  • UK App Store rankings show five VPN services among the top ten free apps as downloads spiked by up to 6,430% according to vpnMentor
  • Technology Secretary Peter Kyle and Ofcom state there are no plans to ban VPNs, warning that platforms promoting them to children may face enforcement action
  • A petition has gathered nearly 400,000 signatures calling for repeal of the Online Safety Act, but the government insists it will uphold the new regulations
  • Cybersecurity experts caution that mandatory ID uploads and biometric scans pose privacy risks and may drive users toward unregulated VPN services