VPN signups increase in the UK? What’s behind the 1,400% surge?

As the UK begins enforcing strict new age verification requirements for websites hosting adult content, users are now flocking to virtual private networks (VPNs) in record numbers.

Proton VPN, one of the most widely used privacy services, reported a 1,400% spike in signups on Friday, July 25, the very day the new regulations under the Online Safety Act came into force.The surge reflects growing concern among UK internet users about the privacy implications of mandatory age checks, which may include facial recognition or sharing financial information. These rules apply not only to adult content websites but also to dating platforms such as Tinder and Hinge, with the UK's communications regulator Ofcom officially starting enforcement at midnight BST on Friday.

Age checks spark widespread VPN adoption

Proton VPN's live Observatory page showed the surge began as soon as the law took effect and climbed again around 9 a.m. BST. A company spokesperson told Mashable they expect additional spikes throughout the weekend, adding: “This clearly shows that adults are concerned about the impact universal age verification laws will have on their privacy.”The company noted on social media that this increase in sign-ups was not only “sustained” but “significantly higher than when France lost access to adult content.”

When France implemented a similar law in June, it prompted a 1,000% jump in Proton VPN subscriptions after major websites pulled out of the country in protest.Google Trends data supports this surge: search interest in “Proton VPN” rose sharply in the UK around 2 a.m. BST Friday.

VPNs challenge enforcement and raise questions

VPNs function by encrypting a user’s internet traffic and rerouting it through servers in other locations, masking their identity and location.

This makes it possible for users to bypass regional restrictions, including age verification requirements.While not designed solely for this purpose, VPNs can make enforcement of such laws difficult, as initial research suggests. According to Mashable, this complicates legal frameworks in both the UK and abroad, raising concerns not just about regulation, but also free speech and digital privacy.Ofcom told the BBC that while using a VPN is not illegal, encouraging its use to bypass age verification is. The regulator also warned that children using VPNs will not benefit from the safety protections these laws are intended to provide.