- VPN services are gaining ground among people in Australia
- Proton VPN and NordVPN are among the most downloaded apps
- All users must now prove they are 18 years old to access adult-only content
VPN services are climbing the charts on Australia’s app stores as mandatory age verification checks for accessing adult-only content come into effect today.
According to data from Sensor Tower, the popular free and secure VPN service, Proton VPN, jumped from 19th to 7th place on Google Play on Monday. TechRadar’s top-rated best VPN service, NordVPN, is also seeing a significant increase in downloads on both iOS and Android.
Among the applications that are gaining ground is VPN – Super Unlimited Proxy. While this free service claims to operate with a no-logs policy, users should be careful as it logs usage data to track activity on third-party apps and websites and collects sensitive identifiers, including location data, according to Apple’s App Store privacy labels.
Australia age verification rules: everything you need to know
Starting March 9, all websites, AI chatbots, and online services that host adult-only material must verify that users are at least 18 years old.
The new regulations allow service providers to choose their own “appropriate age assurance measures.” These typically involve scanning government-issued IDs, performing credit card verifications, or using biometric facial age estimation.
Adults-only content giant Aylo began restricting access to Australian users on Friday in protest. The company told The Guardian that the move “creates harms related to data privacy and exposure to illegal content on non-compliant platforms.”
Companies that violate these new rules face significant penalties, with fines reaching $49.5 million. These regulations follow a landmark ban on social media for users under 16 that was introduced late last year.
Why are Australians turning to VPNs?
A virtual private network (VPN) is a privacy tool that encrypts a user’s Internet connection and masks their real IP address. By spoofing their location, Australians can appear as if they are browsing from a different country.
This increase in VPN usage reflects trends seen in the UK when similar age verification measures were introduced, as well as in several US states where such laws are already active.
It’s impossible to know how many people use VPNs for privacy reasons or how many are simply trying to get around the new rules.
Politicians in both the United Kingdom and the United States have increasingly expressed their desire to regulate the technology itself. In January 2026, the UK House of Lords proposed that VPN providers introduce a “highly effective” age guarantee for all users.
As the UK government moves towards a landmark three-month consultation period that could see VPNs age-restricted, the debate in Australia is expected to intensify.
We test and review VPN services in the context of legal recreational uses. For example: 1. Access a service from another country (subject to the terms and conditions of that service). 2. Protect your online security and strengthen your online privacy when you are abroad. We do not support or condone using a VPN service to break the law or conduct illegal activities. Future Publishing does not endorse or approve the consumption of paid pirated content.
Follow TechRadar on Google News and add us as a preferred source to receive news, reviews and opinions from our experts in your feeds. Be sure to click the Follow button!
