Proton VPN climbs to the top of the UK app charts as age verification for pornography is implemented.

      Proton VPN has emerged as the most downloaded free app in the UK, as many Britons seek to bypass a new law that mandates age verification before accessing websites containing adult content.

      After the Online Safety Act went into effect, Proton VPN saw an astonishing 1,400% increase in sign-ups in the UK almost instantly. It has now surpassed ChatGPT to become Britain's top free app, as reported by Apple's App Store rankings.

      The Switzerland-based virtual private network (VPN) stated in a post on X that this increase in interest has been “sustained.” This is in contrast to recent short-term spikes, such as the one seen in France last month when users temporarily lost access to adult sites like Pornhub and RedTube due to new legislation.

      This boost in downloads follows the UK government's implementation of the Online Safety Act, which came into force just after midnight on Friday, July 25. The legislation requires websites like Pornhub, Reddit, and TikTok to enforce strict age verification protocols, including the submission of official identification or the use of third-party identity verification services.

      The act aims to protect minors from potentially harmful or adult content online. However, VPNs offer a relatively simple means to bypass this new law. By masking users' locations, they can make it appear as though internet users are browsing from outside the UK, where the law does not apply.

      Ofcom, the UK’s communications regulator, has cautioned against using VPNs to avoid these new regulations. In the meantime, Katie Freeman-Tayler from the children's safety group Internet Matters has expressed concerns about how easily children can access VPNs.

      “This allows them to circumvent critical protections implemented under the Online Safety Act, such as age checks intended to keep them away from adult content,” she told the BBC.

      Proton is not the only company gaining from the new law; among the top ten free apps in Apple's UK rankings, six are currently VPN services, including Yoti, NordVPN, and Free VPN.

      “We would typically associate these significant spikes in sign-ups with major civil unrest,” Proton noted in a statement. “This clearly indicates that adults are worried about the impact universal age verification laws will have on their privacy.”

      Proton and other tech companies have previously voiced criticism of certain elements of the Online Safety Act, warning that the law could compromise user privacy by requiring companies to scan private messages or undermine end-to-end encryption.

      Political figures have also raised concerns, with Nigel Farage, leader of the right-wing political party Reform UK, vowing to repeal the rules, calling them “authoritarian” and a threat to free speech. A separate petition aimed at overturning the Online Safety Act has garnered over 350,000 signatures, prompting a parliamentary review.

      Meanwhile, the rising demand for VPNs has led to fears that the government might ban such services. However, security experts have dismissed these concerns. “The UK won’t ban VPNs,” Jake Moore, a global cybersecurity advisor at the Slovakian software company ESET, stated on X. “Implementing such a ban would be nearly impossible and would significantly disrupt legitimate usage.”