- VPN services are gaining traction among people in Australia
- Proton VPN and NordVPN are among the most downloaded apps
- All users now need to prove they are 18 to access adult-only content
VPN services are climbing Australia's app store charts as mandatory age verification checks to access adult-only content come into effect today.
According to Sensor Tower data, the popular secure free VPN service, Proton VPN, jumped from #19 to #7 on Google Play on Monday. TechRadar's top-rated best VPN service, NordVPN, is also seeing a significant rise in downloads across both iOS and Android.
Among the apps gaining traction is VPN - Super Unlimited Proxy. While this free service claims to operate a no-logs policy, users should be cautious as it records usage data to track activity across third-party apps and websites and collects sensitive identifiers, including location data, as per Apple App Store's privacy labels.
Australia age verification rules — all you need to know
From March 9, all websites, AI chatbots, and online services hosting adult-only material must verify that users are at least 18 years old.
The new regulations allow service providers to choose their own "appropriate age-assurance measures." These typically involve scanning government-issued IDs, performing credit card checks, or using biometric facial age estimation.
Adult-only content giant, Aylo, began restricting access for Australian users on Friday in protest. The company told The Guardian that the measure "creates harms relating to data privacy and exposure to illegal content on non-compliant platforms".
Companies found to be in breach of these new rules face significant penalties, with fines reaching up to $49.5 million. These regulations follow a landmark ban on social media for users under 16 which was introduced late last year.
Why are Australians turning to VPNs?
A virtual private network (VPN) is a privacy tool that encrypts a user's internet connection and masks their real IP address. By spoofing their location, Australians can appear as though they are browsing from a different country.
This spike in VPN usage mirrors trends seen in the UK when similar age verification measures were introduced, as well as in several US states where such laws are already active.
It's impossible to know how many people are using VPNs because of privacy concerns, or how many are simply attempting to bypass the new rules.
Politicians in both the UK and the US have increasingly signaled a desire to regulate the technology itself. In January 2026, the UK House of Lords proposed that VPN providers should introduce "highly effective" age assurance for all users.
As the UK government moves into a landmark three-month consultation period that could see VPNs become age-gated, the debate in Australia is expected to intensify.
We test and review VPN services in the context of legal recreational uses. For example: 1. Accessing a service from another country (subject to the terms and conditions of that service). 2. Protecting your online security and strengthening your online privacy when abroad. We do not support or condone using a VPN service to break the law or conduct illegal activities. Consuming pirated content that is paid-for is neither endorsed nor approved by Future Publishing.
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