Virtual private network apps have soared to the top of the United Kingdom’s Apple App Store charts, following new requirements for age verification on websites like Pornhub, Reddit, and X, which took effect on Friday.
VPNs allow users to mask their real location and appear as though they’re browsing from another country, enabling many to sidestep restrictions introduced under the UK’s Online Safety Act.
The legislation mandates that platforms hosting adult or potentially harmful content must implement stringent age verification measures.
By Monday morning, VPN services made up half of the top 10 most downloaded free apps in the UK App Store. One developer told the BBC that its app had seen a staggering 1,800% increase in downloads.
VPNs function by routing users through remote servers, effectively concealing their IP addresses and locations.
This makes it possible to access content or websites that may be restricted based on geography or legal requirements.
Under the Online Safety Act, websites featuring adult content must use “robust” methods to verify user age.
These checks may include facial recognition through selfies or videos, or requiring users to upload official identification.
Such measures have raised privacy concerns, as users fear their personal data may be stored, misused, or tracked across other online platforms.
However, experts are warning that free VPN services may not be as secure as they appear.
“Many of these free VPNs are riddled with issues,” said Daniel Card, a cyber-security expert affiliated with the Chartered Institute for IT. “Some act as traffic brokers for data harvesting firms, others are so poorly built they expose users to attacks.”
Card added that despite these privacy concerns, such apps “end up in the hands of kids trying to watch age-restricted content,” or adults “trying to get round blocks.”
“That’s the uncomfortable truth: people will take risks to get what they want online,” he said.
Katie Freeman-Tayler, from the children’s safety organization Internet Matters, voiced concern last Thursday over how easily minors can access these VPN services.
“This makes it easy for them to circumvent important protections introduced under the Online Safety Act, such as age checks designed to shield them from adult content,” she told the BBC.
UK regulator Ofcom has warned that platforms required to conduct “highly effective” age checks must not enable or promote ways to avoid those measures, including the use of VPNs.
The government has reiterated that it is illegal for platforms to support or facilitate such circumvention.
Proton VPN, developed by Swiss tech company Proton, reported a dramatic 1,800% surge in UK-based daily sign-ups over the weekend after the new rules came into force.
“This clearly shows that adults are concerned about the impact universal age verification laws will have on their privacy,” a Proton spokesperson told the BBC.
Similarly, Free VPN, currently the sixth most downloaded free app in the UK, confirmed it had experienced “a significant surge” in downloads and new users based in the UK.
While most of these free services claim not to collect or share user data, and assert that their platforms are secure, encrypted, and not meant for use by children, experts remain skeptical.
“While more privacy-conscious users might stick to reputable services… the average person won’t,” said Mr. Card. “They’ll download the first free app with decent reviews, often without realising they’re handing over access to their data.”
