Proton VPN rises to top UK app charts as porn age checks kick in

Proton VPN has become the UK’s most downloaded free app, as Britons rush to bypass a new law requiring users to verify their age before accessing websites hosting adult content. 

Proton VPN reported a staggering 1,400% surge in UK sign-ups almost immediately after the Online Safety Act came into effect. It is now Britain’s most downloaded free app, overtaking ChatGPT, according to Apple’s App Store rankings.

The Switzerland-based virtual private network (VPN) said in a post on X that the surge in interest has been “sustained.” This contrasts with recent short-term spikes, such as when people in France temporarily lost access to adult sites like Pornhub and RedTube last month due to new legislation. 

The surge in downloads follows the UK government’s rollout of the Online Safety Act, which came into effect after midnight on Friday, July 25. The law requires websites such as Pornhub ...