Since July 25, when the UK's Online Safety Act required users to verify their identity to access websites containing age-restricted content, Proton VPN has seen a 1,400% increase in new signups in the UK.
UK users connect to Swiss servers via Proton VPN to protect privacy. (Source: Thenextweb)
The app has overtaken ChatGPT to top the App Store charts, suggesting that users are looking to bypass verification by hiding their location. Six VPN apps are in the UK’s top 10 free apps – including Yoti, NordVPN and Free VPN – suggesting that VPN use is booming.
The UK's communications regulator Ofcom has warned that using VPNs to circumvent the law can be risky, especially as children have easy access to these tools.
Proton and many other tech companies have criticized the new law as potentially invading privacy, forcing platforms to scan private messages or break end-to-end encryption.
British MP Nigel Farage opposes online identity verification. (Source: Getty Images)
Politician Nigel Farage has called the law “arbitrary” and pledged to repeal it if elected. A petition opposing it has attracted more than 350,000 signatures, triggering a review in the UK Parliament.
While there are concerns about a VPN ban, security experts say it is unlikely and would cause major disruption to legitimate users. The explosion of Proton VPN is not just a response to the new law – it is also a warning about the balance between protecting children and adult privacy in the digital age.
Source: https://vtcnews.vn/luot-tai-ung-dung-vpn-tang-dot-bien-giua-lan-song-kiem-duyet-noi-dung-tai-anh-ar956978.html
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