The United Kingdom Introduces New Laws for Age Verification

• The online safety law requires platforms to verify the age of users
• There has been a significant increase in the popularity of VPN applications in the United Kingdom
• Ofcom plans to verify compliance with the new age verification requirements

From the moment the Online Safety Law is implemented in the United Kingdom on July 28, 2025, the number of age verification checks on sites for adults will increase to 5 million per day. This law requires platforms for adult content to implement mechanisms for age verification for users from the United Kingdom.

According to data from the Adult Verification Providers Association (AVPA), since the introduction of the requirements, users have actively started to use virtual private networks (VPNs) to bypass new restrictions. Four out of five of the most popular ad-free applications in the United Kingdom now are VPN extensions, including Proton, which has recorded an increase in downloads of 1800%.

The communications regulator of the United Kingdom, Ofcom, plans to start verifying compliance with the new age verification requirements, which may lead to formal investigations. This law also envisages penalties for sites that fail to meet the requirements, including fines of up to 10% of global revenue.

Amid the increase in VPN usage, regulators warn that they do not intend to protect users from circumventing age restrictions. The technologies supported by Ofcom include age verification via a secondary photo, verification through banking institutions or mobile operators.

Notable platforms, such as Pornhub and Reddit, are already implementing new restrictions on content related to sensitive topics, such as self-harm and food addiction. However, some human rights activists are calling for caution, as these technologies may have serious implications for user privacy.

Tags: Europe/Politics