VPN apps have surged to the top of the UK App Store as users rush to bypass new age checks.
The spike follows the Online Safety Act rollout, tightening access to adult content on major platforms.
Virtual Private Network (VPN) apps have shot to the top of the UK’s Apple App Store following the rollout of strict new age verification rules for platforms such as Pornhub, Reddit, and X.
The surge comes in response to fresh regulations under the UK’s Online Safety Act, which took effect Friday. The law mandates websites hosting adult or potentially harmful content to verify users’ ages through more rigorous measures.
VPNs, which allow users to hide their real locations and browse as if from another country, have become a popular workaround for those trying to bypass the new restrictions.
As of Monday, VPN apps dominated the UK App Store’s top charts, making up half of the ten most downloaded free apps. One developer told the BBC that downloads of their app had jumped by 1,800% since the new rules were introduced.
