As I’ve mentioned already in other articles, the UK Online Safety Act (OSA) now requires UK visitors to certain websites, such as Reddit, Spotify, and Wikipedia, to verify their age with a selfie or other means of ID. It’s worth noting here that national ID cards are not mandatory in the UK, so many people use their passport or driving license for such purposes. However, since most UK citizens view age verification as both intrusive and an invasion of privacy, many have turned to VPNs to hide their actual location. This has led to a massive surge in VPN sales as well as whispers of a possible VPN ban in the UK. The free VPN, Proton, has seen a huge demand for downloads, for example.
On the other hand, many UK members of parliament use VPNs and put the subscription costs on their expenses, which the taxpayer ultimately pays.
Hi Marc
Let’s not kid ourselves that this was ever about Child Safety. In fact the UK Government has actively tried to cover up instances of grooming and rape by predators and got caught out and castigated in official government and watchdog reports. Those that have publicly criticised the Government for this and the illegal migrant “out of control” situation that currently exists have been jailed – Lucy Connelly and Tommy Robinson to name but a couple of the high profile former political prisoners.
This is purely and simply about public control measures and UK citizens have a duty to refuse to bow down to the dystopian 1984 style tyranny. I am horrified seeing what my former Country of birth has become by Elitist governmental design and not by accident. A feature not a bug in computer parlance.
Labour will be soundly defeated at the next election and deservedly so. They won’t regain power again for many years if in fact they are not already finished as a political Party. Personally I cannot wait.
Reg
I don’t really wish to disappear down that political rabbit hole here on DCT, so all I can say is, as a British expat, I am watching the UK situation with trepidation.
Cheers