Brits use VPNs to bypass Online Safety Act

The UK government’s flagship Online Safety Act is facing significant challenges, as a recent survey reveals that nearly one in three Britons continue to access adult content without age verification. Research conducted by verification and anti-fraud platform Sumsub, surveying 2,000 UK consumers, highlights widespread scepticism regarding the ability of Ofcom and government ministers to enforce the regulations effectively.

A significant portion of those doubting the act’s efficacy attribute it to the ease with which checks can be circumvented, often through the use of virtual private networks (VPNs). Since the act’s implementation in July, VPN applications have surged to the top of Apple’s UK download charts, with one provider reporting an 1,800% increase in sign-ups as users seek to disguise their location and bypass restrictions.

Despite these concerns, public support for the principle of age verification remains strong. Approximately 64% of respondents agree on the necessity of age checks to protect children, with support rising to 78% among parents with children under 18. However, nearly half of the respondents, or 48%, express concern that the regulations could lead to censorship, with over a third reporting instances where non-adult “safe for work” material has been incorrectly restricted, while explicit content continues to slip through.

Distrust in the verification tools themselves also persists. A quarter of those surveyed express reservations about AI-based facial scans for age assessment, with scepticism particularly pronounced among individuals over 55. The rise of deepfakes presents an additional challenge, with Sumsub reporting a 900% increase in manipulated videos and a 275% rise in forged synthetic documents over the past year, raising fears that malicious actors can more easily deceive the system.

Campaigners caution that the act’s ambiguous definitions of “harmful” content, combined with the threat of fines up to 10% of global turnover, have led tech companies to over-comply. Users report being blocked from accessing Spotify playlists, GIFs, and even parliamentary speeches, fuelling accusations of “monstrous censorship.” A senior government official described the act as a “political punchbag” in an interview with the Financial Times.

While ministers maintain that the Online Safety Act aims to make Britain the safest place online, initial data suggests a different narrative. The act remains a law that, while popular in theory, is easily circumvented and fraught with unintended consequences.