The introduction of mandatory age verification for adult websites in the UK has led to a significant increase in virtual private network (VPN) usage, according to new findings cited by the Financial Times from an official report by the country’s media regulator.
The report estimates that the number of daily VPN users in the UK has climbed to around 2.2 million, up from 1.2 million before the age-verification rules took effect in July 2025. The sustained increase suggests many internet users are turning to VPNs to bypass the new restrictions.
The findings also highlight a challenge for online safety efforts. Roughly one in four children have reportedly used VPNs to get around the age checks that were introduced to limit minors’ access to adult content. The data underscores the difficulty regulators face in enforcing online age restrictions, as widely available privacy tools can often be used to circumvent them.
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