Labour Plans VPN Ban After UK Online Safety Act Sparks Usage Surge

Following the enactment of the UK's Online Safety Act, which mandates stringent age verification for accessing adult content and other online services, VPN usage in Britain has surged dramatically, with downloads of services like Proton VPN and Nord VPN increasing by over 1,000%. This spike reflects users' attempts to avoid sharing sensitive personal data required by the new law, highlighting concerns about privacy and data security. The Labour Party, which supported the Act, is now reportedly considering banning or restricting VPNs to ensure the law's enforcement, with Labour MP Sarah Champion advocating for a government report on VPNs' impact on regulatory efforts. VPN providers emphasize their role in protecting digital privacy, but government officials, including Labour's Technology Secretary Peter Kyle, have signaled targeting platforms that promote VPNs to circumvent age checks. Critics argue that these measures risk normalizing censorship and suppressing free speech, while supporters maintain the Act's goal is to make the UK the safest place online, particularly for children. The situation underscores the growing tension between government regulation of online safety and individual freedoms in the digital realm.