Mullvad VPN takes its banned anti-surveillance ad to the streets after UK TV rejection

• Mullvad's "And Then?" TV ad was prevented from being aired in the UK
• The outdoor campaign criticizing the TV ban has also attracted resistance
• Mullvad's anti-surveillance ad was broadcast in Germany, Sweden, the US

Swedish VPN provider Mullvad is renowned for its staunch privacy stance — and its willing to be vocal about it. However, when the company attempted to bring its anti-surveillance "And Then?" advertisement to British television, it was met with rejection.

Directed by Jonas Åkerlund, the 30-second spot aims to raise awareness about online censorship and mass surveillance. Originally designed to criticize "Chat Control" — the EU’s controversial proposal for mandatory message scanning — the campaign has since been repurposed to challenge any legislation that threatens digital freedom.

While the ad has previously aired in Germany, Sweden, and the US, the UK’s advertising clearance body, Clearcast, blocked the broadcast. Clearcast cited a ...