Proton VPN Tops UK App Charts Amid Age Verification Law

Proton VPN Sees Surge in Downloads

Proton VPN has become the UK’s most downloaded free app, as Britons rush to bypass a new law requiring users to verify their age before accessing websites hosting adult content. The Switzerland-based virtual private network (VPN) reported a staggering surge in UK sign-ups almost immediately after the Online Safety Act came into effect.

The law requires websites such as Pornhub, Reddit, and TikTok to implement strict age verification measures, including uploading an official ID or using third-party identity checks. However, VPNs provide a relatively easy way to circumvent the new law by masking a user’s location, making it appear as if internet users are accessing the web from outside the UK, where the new law doesn’t apply.

Concerns Over Age Verification

Ofcom, the UK’s communications regulator, has warned against using VPNs to sidestep the new rules. Meanwhile, children’s safety group Internet Matters has raised concerns about how easily children can access VPNs, making it easy for them to circumvent important protections introduced under the Online Safety Act.

Proton isn’t the only company benefiting from the new law, as six of the top ten free apps in Apple’s UK ranking are currently VPN services, including Yoti, NordVPN, and Free VPN. The company has stated that the surge in interest has been “sustained,” contrasting with recent short-term spikes in VPN downloads.

Criticism and Controversy

Proton and other tech firms have previously criticized aspects of the Online Safety Act, warning that the law could erode user privacy by forcing companies to scan private messages or break end-to-end encryption. Criticism has also come from political quarters, with Nigel Farage, leader of right-wing political party Reform UK, pledging to repeal the rules, labeling them “authoritarian” and a threat to free speech.