Understanding the Rise of VPNs: Online Safety Laws and Practical Uses
By
Tom May
Not artisan, but a perfectly fine bagel. Hits the spot.
Summary
The article explains the recent surge in interest around VPNs, attributing it to new Online Safety Act requirements in the UK that mandate age verification for certain platforms. It describes VPNs as tools that hide IP addresses, allowing users to appear in different geographic locations, and highlights their utility for creatives and researchers.
Key quotes
· 2 pulledA VPN (virtual private network) is an app that hides the IP address of your computer. One benefit of that is you can pretend to be in a different geographic location.
The current hype is mostly down to online safety laws, but there are plenty of legit reasons for creatives to use a VPN.
You might also wanna read
VPN Usage Increases in Response to Internet Regulation Laws Like UK Online Safety Act and Australia Age Verification
The article discusses how people are using VPNs in response to restrictive internet laws like the UK Online Safety Act and Australia's upcom
news.ycombinator.com·5mo ago
UK Age Verification Laws Drive Surge in VPN Use, Raising Concerns About Internet Freedom
The UK's Online Safety Act, which mandates age verification for adult content, has led to a significant increase in VPN usage as users seek
wired.com·10mo ago
UK Users Bypass Online Safety Act Age Checks Using VPNs
The article discusses how UK internet users are using VPNs to bypass the Online Safety Act's age verification requirements. After the law to
theverge.com·6mo ago
EU research body warns VPNs are being used to bypass online age-verification systems
The European Parliamentary Research Service (EPRS) has warned that VPNs are being used to bypass online age-verification systems, calling it
cyberinsider.com·22d ago
UK House of Lords Votes to Extend Age Verification Requirements to VPNs and Online Platforms
The UK House of Lords has voted to extend age verification requirements to VPNs and a wide range of online platforms under the Children's We
reclaimthenet.org·4mo ago
Lawmakers Propose VPN Bans to Enforce Age Verification Laws
Lawmakers in Wisconsin, Michigan, and other states are proposing to ban Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) as a response to people using them t
eff.org·6mo ago