VPN use has surged in the UK as tougher rules to view websites with explicit content take effect.
Websites and apps that contain explicit content are now required by the UK's Online Safety Act to confirm users' ages using techniques like face recognition and banking information in order to keep children from viewing the content. Both dating apps like Tinder and Hinge and adult websites like Pornhub are subject to the law.
On Friday, July 25, the day the UK's age verification law went into force, Proton VPN recorded an hourly rise in signups of 1,400 percent. The Proton VPN website has an Observatory page that monitors these spikes in usage.
Proton VPN previously reported a similar surge in new subscribers in June after Pornhub left France following the country's implementation of an age verification law, but the network suggests this time it is “significantly higher”.
“Just a few minutes after the Online Safety Act went into effect last night, Proton VPN signups originating in the UK surged by more than 1,400%. Unlike previous surges, this one is sustained, and is significantly higher than when France lost access to adult content.” Proton VPN shared on X.
Just a few minutes after the Online Safety Act went into effect last night, Proton VPN signups originating in the UK surged by more than 1,400%.
— Proton VPN (@ProtonVPN) July 25, 2025
Unlike previous surges, this one is sustained, and is significantly higher than when France lost access to adult content. pic.twitter.com/W9R5FQBWKa
Proton VPN isn’t alone. According to Apple's app download numbers in the UK on Monday, VPN services accounted for half of the top ten free apps.
But what is VPN and how to get around age verification?
What is VPN?
A virtual private network, or VPN, is an application that establishes a safe, encrypted connection between your device and a distant server via the internet. It encrypts your internet traffic and conceals your actual IP address, increasing the privacy and security of your online activities.
It is commonly used for streaming content from other countries, safely using public Wi-Fi, accessing websites that may be blocked in your location and preventing internet service providers (ISPs) or governments from tracking your online behaviour.
How to get around age verification
Users in the UK must comply with new age verification regulations while attempting to access harmful and adult content online.
Age checks are now implemented by websites or social media platforms that post pornography and other adult content in order to safeguard minors from online dangers.
However, because they ask for disclosing sensitive information, such as a photo ID or credit card details, these verification procedures raise privacy issues. In order to avoid fraud or data leaks, adult users are searching for more discreet ways to get around authentication. Using a VPN is one of the options.
In countries where age verification is not mandatory, a VPN can help get around these technologies. To put it simply, your device receives an IP address when it connects to the internet, which informs websites and apps of your location.
You can connect to a server in a different nation and get a new IP address in the interim using a trustworthy VPN service. By making it appear as though you are visiting the website from an area where strong age verification is not required, it allows you to view adult content without disclosing private information.
Unless the rules of service of a particular platform specify otherwise, using a VPN to get around age verification is lawful. The UK Online Safety Act of July 2025 makes no mention of banning individual users from utilising VPNs to get around age verification.
However, companies that host harmful and adult content are prohibited by Ofcom from endorsing VPNs as a way to bypass age verification.
There are a few other methods that can help users become anonymous.
By encrypting all user traffic and passing it across several servers, the Tor Browser gets you around age verification rules. This conceals where you are, enabling you to watch adult content anonymously and without having to provide sensitive information for verification.
Another way of getting around the age verification safely is using proxy. Proxies make it appear as though you are connecting from a different nation by rerouting your traffic through distant servers.
However, if you have to choose between a VPN and a proxy, VPN would be advised as your traffic isn't isn't encrypted when using proxies, your ISP can still see what you're browsing.
