VPN demand skyrockets in the UK as age verification checks are enforced

• VPN demand soared in the UK starting from Friday, July 25, 2025
• Proton VPN recorded a +1400% hourly increase in signups over the baseline, starting from midnight
• All platforms displaying adult content and potentially harmful materials must now enforce robust age checks for all users

VPN demand is soaring in the UK as Britons get ready to work around new age verification checks.

One of the best VPN services on the market, Proton VPN, confirmed to TechRadar an hourly increase in sign-ups of over 1,400% starting from Friday, July 25, 2025.

This coincides with new age verification requirements under the Online Safety Act, which force all platforms displaying adult content and potentially harmful materials to ensure users are over 18 via robust identity checks.

A Proton VPN spokesperson told TechRadar that a rise in sign-ups began immediately at midnight on Friday, with a second spike starting from 9 am (see graph below).

"We expect to see further increases over the coming days," Proton said.

Other VPN services are also likely to have recorded a similar surge in demand. Data from Google Trends shows that the search for the term 'VPN' has skyrocketed across the country since.

Ofcom, the UK's regulator responsible for enforcing the new age requirements, however, is suggesting against using a VPN.

Talking to the BBC, the regulator said that it will be illegal for platforms to encourage the use of VPNs, while warning parents that their children won't benefit from these protections when using a VPN.

Nonetheless, according to Proton, such a spike in VPN usage rather suggests that Britons are worried about the privacy implications that these requirements could have.

"This clearly shows that adults are concerned about the impact universal age verification laws will have on their privacy," a Proton spokesperson told TechRadar.

Some digital rights experts have indeed raised concerns about how new age verification requirements could negatively impact people's privacy and their data security.

Age verification isn't just for adult-only content websites, either. These requirements are set to change how people in the UK will interact with their social media, gaming, and dating apps, among others.

Privacy and VPN experts previously told TechRadar their concerns about getting rid of anonymity on social media, warning that invasive identity checks may lead to higher surveillance, censorship, and data breaches.

What's certain is that mandatory proof of age checks are now a reality for people in the UK, with the likes of Reddit, Bluesky, X, and Grindr having already introduced age verification for users in the UK. More services are now expected to follow suit.

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