The Children’s Commissioner for England has called for action to prevent children from using VPNs to circumvent age verification on pornographic websites. VPNs, which mask a user’s location, can be used to bypass requirements of the Online Safety Act. This is considered a significant loophole that needs addressing. While the government acknowledges this concern, a spokesperson has stated there are no plans to ban VPNs, as they are legal tools for adults.
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Following the implementation of new UK online safety rules, major adult content websites like Pornhub and XVideos experienced a significant 47% drop in traffic, with OnlyFans also seeing a decline. Data suggests that while compliant sites saw a decrease, less regulated pornography sites experienced an increase in visits. The new rules, enforced by Ofcom, require age verification methods such as credit card checks and photo ID matching. Consequently, VPN app downloads surged, potentially enabling users to bypass these restrictions and access content from different locations.
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Seventeen US states now mandate age verification for accessing online pornography, impacting major platforms like Pornhub. These laws, requiring state-issued ID, raise privacy concerns, prompting Aylo, the parent company of several adult websites, to withdraw service from these states. The increased demand for VPNs to circumvent these restrictions highlights the impact of the legislation. Furthermore, potential future restrictions under a Trump administration, as outlined in the Heritage Foundation’s Project 2025 plan, could lead to even stricter measures, including potential criminalization of pornography.
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Pakistan’s Council of Islamic Ideology declared using VPNs to access blocked content as un-Islamic, citing the facilitation of immoral activities and the spread of disinformation. Simultaneously, the government, citing terrorism and pornography concerns, is implementing a nationwide firewall and requiring VPN registration, a move critics see as increasing surveillance and limiting free speech. This registration process demands personal information from users, raising privacy concerns. The government denies attempting to throttle the internet, but experts suggest the new system enhances state monitoring capabilities. The push for greater online control coincides with increased criticism of the military’s alleged political interference.
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John Q. Hosedrinker