- UK's science secretary ensures there are no plans to ban VPNs
- The government is, however, looking "very closely" at how VPNs are being used
- VPN demand soared in the UK starting from Friday, July 25, 2025, as Brits look for ways to avoid new age checks
VPN demand in the UK has soared overnight since new age verification checks were enforced, as Brits look for ways to bypass new requirements. This has sparked concerns that authorities could end up banning their use.
The UK's science secretary, Peter Kyle, asserts there are no plans to ban VPNs. Kyle confirmed, however, that the government would be looking "very closely" at how the best VPN apps are being used.
"Some people are finding their way round [the legislation]. Very few children will be going actively out there searching for harmful content," said Kyle during an interview with Sky News today, July 29, 2025 – The Guardian reported.
Starting from Friday, July 25, 2025, all platforms displaying adult-only or harmful content must enforce robust age verification checks under the Online Safety Act.
As Ofcom explains on its website, "Just ticking a box to say you're over 18 will no longer be enough."
This means that all websites reserved for users over 18 must ensure minors never access their services via ID checks. Crucially, social media, dating apps, and gaming platforms are also expected to verify their users' age before displaying them potentially dangerous materials.
These new requirements have thus far sparked concerns regarding data privacy, security, free speech, and access to information.
A petition to repeal the UK Online Safety Act has already reached over 340,000 at the time of writing.
Reform UK's leader, Nigel Farage, is also strongly pushing to scrap what he described as a "borderline dystopian" legislation – The Guardian reported.
VPNs and age checks – what to know
VPN services are a popular way to bypass geo-restrictions, like those imposed by streaming platforms. That's because a VPN spoofs your real IP address and assigns you a new, temporary one based in the same place as the VPN server you join. This makes it possible to trick the sites you visit into thinking you're in a different country.
Considering the sudden spike in VPN usage across the country, people in the UK are likely familiar with this.
A popular provider, Proton VPN, recorded an hourly increase of over 1,400% starting from Friday at midnight. AdGuard VPN also confirmed to TechRadar that sign-ups grew by 2.5 times in just a few days. Data from Top10VPN shows an ongoing surge in VPN demand of over 500% since Friday.
At the time of writing, using a VPN in the UK is completely legal, and using one to bypass the new age checks should not be considered a crime.
The UK's regulator body for online safety, Ofcom, however, is strongly suggesting against their use. Clearly, without much success so far.
Will the government find a way to prevent people from bypassing the new Online Safety Act's measures via VPNs?
It's too early to know for certain, but a ban seems to be off the cards – for now, at least.
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