After the UK’s new Online Safety Act kicked in, requiring adult and sensitive content sites to verify users’ age, VPN downloads in the country spiked—some by over 1,000%. Platforms like Proton VPN and NordVPN reported massive surges in sign-ups. Critics say this trend mirrors what’s happened in heavily censored nations and warns it could lead to overreach. While officials hail progress, digital rights advocates argue that these “quick tech fixes” risk normalizing surveillance and pushing users into a privacy-cat-and-mouse game. The move sparks fresh debate on balancing child safety with online freedom and anonymity.
Read more: Wired
