- VPN Inquiry rose increased in the UK from Friday 25th of July 2025
- Proton VPN recorded one +1400% Times Increase in sign -ups over the baseline, starting from midnight
- All platforms showing adult content and potentially harmful materials must now enforce robust age control for all users
VPN demand is soaring in the UK when the British get ready to work around New Age verification control.
One of the best VPN services on the market, Proton VPN, confirmed to Techradar one hour increase in registrations of over 1,400% from Friday 25 July 2025.
This coincides with requirements for verification of New Age under the Online Security Act, forcing all platforms that show adult content and potentially harmful materials to ensure that users are over 18 via robust identity control.
A spokesman for Proton VPN told Techradar that an increase in registrations began immediately at midnight on Friday, with another spikes from 1 p.m. 9 (see graph below).
“We expect to see further increases in the coming days,” Proton said.
Other VPN services have also probably recorded a similar increase in demand. Data from Google Trends shows that the search for the phrase ‘VPN’ has been skyrocketing across the country since.
However, Ofcom suggests Britain’s regulator responsible for enforcing the requirements for New Age, however, against using a VPN.
When he talked to the BBC, the regulator said it will be illegal for platforms to encourage the use of VPNs while warning parents that their children will not benefit from these protections when using a VPN.
Nevertheless, according to Proton, such an increase in VPN suggests that Britons are concerned about the privacy consequences that these requirements could have.
“This clearly shows that adults are concerned about the impact of universal age verification legislation will have on their privacy,” a proton spokesman told Techradar.
In fact, some experts in digital rights have raised concerns about how requirements for verification of new times can adversely affect people’s privacy and their data security.
Age verification is also not just for sites with only adult content. These requirements are set to change how people in the UK will interact with their social media, games and dating apps, among others.
Privacy and VPN experts previously told Techradar about their concern about getting rid of anonymity on social media and warns that invasive identity control can lead to higher surveillance, censorship and data violations.
What is certain is that mandatory proof of age control is now a reality for people in the UK, with them such as Reddit, Bluesky, X and Grindr who have already introduced age verification for users in the UK. More services are now expected to follow.
