VPN demand surges 1400% in the UK following new age verification law

Since the UK’s Online Safety Act came into force, introducing mandatory age verification for adult websites, demand for VPN services has skyrocketed.

According to the Financial Times, one major VPN provider reported a 1400% increase in UK registrations since July 25, as users scramble to bypass access restrictions on adult content.

The spike is driven not only by frustration over verification requirements but also by widespread technical inaccessibility: many websites have either failed to implement age checks or lack the resources to do so. As a result, several popular platforms have simply gone dark for UK users.

Unlike the temporary VPN interest seen in other countries, this surge has proven both sharp and sustained, sources told FT. For comparison, France’s rollout of a similar law in June saw far less VPN adoption. In the UK, VPN apps are now climbing the App Store charts.

• Under the new law, all sites hosting “potentially harmful” content — including pornography, violence, and more — must block access to users under 18.
• Major platforms that have already adopted the restrictions include Bluesky, Discord, Grindr, Reddit, and X.
• Non-compliance could result in fines of up to £18 million or 10% of global revenue, as well as criminal charges for executives who ignore regulator demands.

Privacy concerns around verification methods are also mounting: many platforms ask for selfies or government ID uploads — something users see as a major intrusion.