Key points
- Half of UK’s top free apps are VPNs
- Free VPNs may expose users to data risks
- Teens using VPNs to bypass online age checks
- Experts warn of privacy concerns and legal issues
ISLAMABAD: Virtual private network (VPN) apps have surged in popularity on Apple’s UK App Store after websites such as Reddit and X began enforcing age verification rules on Friday, in line with the UK’s Online Safety Act.
VPNs allow users to hide their real location and browse the internet as if they were in another country, enabling them to bypass new checks designed to limit access to adult content, according to the BBC.
UK VPN demand surges 1,400% as age verification law takes effect; Wikipedia faces ban, X users report blocked content
— NewsWire (@NewsWire_US) July 26, 2025
By Monday morning, half of the top 10 free apps in the UK App Store were VPNs. One provider told the media it had seen a 1,800 per cent increase in downloads.
The Online Safety Act requires sites with harmful or adult content to use robust age checks, such as facial recognition or ID uploads. This has raised privacy concerns, with some fearing their data could be stored or misused.
VPNs work by routing internet traffic through remote servers, masking a user’s IP address. While this allows access to blocked sites, experts warn that free VPNs may carry serious risks.
Harvesting user data
Daniel Card, a cybersecurity expert from the Chartered Institute for IT, told the media that many free VPNs are poorly built or designed to harvest user data. Despite this, he said, they are increasingly used by teenagers trying to access restricted content or adults seeking to avoid age checks.
“This is the uncomfortable truth—people will take risks to access what they want online,” Card said.
Children’s safety group Internet Matters also expressed concern, saying that access to free or low-cost VPNs makes it easier for young people to sidestep protections aimed at shielding them from adult material.
Use of VPNs surges in UK as new online safety rules kick in https://t.co/nwvyTm8JDm
— Financial Times (@FT) July 27, 2025
Under the new law, platforms must not promote or allow the use of VPNs to bypass age checks. Ofcom and the government have both stated that platforms hosting content encouraging such behaviour may be acting illegally.
Dramatic rise
Proton VPN, operated by Swiss privacy company Proton, reported a dramatic rise in UK users since the rules came into effect, suggesting many adults are concerned about their digital privacy.
Just a few minutes after the Online Safety Act went into effect last night, Proton VPN signups originating in the UK surged by more than 1,400%.
Unlike previous surges, this one is sustained, and is significantly higher than when France lost access to adult content. pic.twitter.com/W9R5FQBWKa
— Proton VPN (@ProtonVPN) July 25, 2025
Other free VPN apps also saw large increases in UK downloads over the weekend. Most say they finance operations through adverts, claim not to share user data, and are not intended for children.
However, Card warns most users download the first free app they see—often unaware of the potential privacy trade-offs involved.
