- VPN’s demand shot in the United Kingdom as of Friday, July 25, 2025
- Proton VPN recorded a +1400% increase per hour in records on the baseline, from midnight
- All platforms that show content for adults and potentially harmful materials should now apply solid age controls for all users
VPN’s demand is raising in the United Kingdom as the British prepare to work around the verification controls of the new era.
One of the best VPN services in the market, Proton VPN, confirmed to Techradar an increase per hour in its records of more than 1,400% as of Friday, July 25, 2025.
This coincides with the verification requirements of the new age under the online security law, which force all platforms that show content for adults and potentially harmful materials to ensure that users are over 18 years of age through solid identity controls.
A Proton VPN spokesman told Techradar that an increase in registration began immediately at midnight on Friday, with a second peak from 9 am (see chart below).
“We hope to see more increases in the next few days,” said Proton.
Other VPN services are likely to have also registered a similar increase in demand. Google’s trends data show that the search for the term ‘VPN’ has shot throughout the country since then.
Ofcom, the United Kingdom regulator responsible for enforcing the requirements of the new age, however, suggests not using a VPN.
Talking to the BBC, the regulator said it will be illegal for platforms to encourage the use of VPN, while warning parents that their children will not benefit from these protections when using a VPN.
However, according to Proton, such a peak in the use of VPN suggests that the British are concerned about the implications of privacy that these requirements could have.
“This clearly shows that adults are concerned about the impact that universal age verification laws will have on their privacy,” said a proton spokesman to Techradar.
Some digital rights experts have raised concerns about how the new age verification requirements could negatively affect the privacy of people and their data safety.
Age verification is not just for content websites only for adults. These requirements are configured to change the way in which people in the United Kingdom will interact with their applications of social networks, games and appointments, among others.
Privacy and VPN experts previously told him to PakGazette his concerns about getting rid of anonymity on social networks, warning that invasive identity controls can lead to greater surveillance, censorship and data infractions.
What is certain is that the mandatory controls of the age proof are now a reality for people in the United Kingdom, with people such as Reddit, Bluesky, X and Grindr have already introduced age verification for users in the United Kingdom. Now more services are expected to follow your example.
