- VPN demand soars in Brazil as adult content and social networks face age restriction
- New mandatory age checks came into force on March 17
- Platforms face potential shutdowns and huge fines for non-compliance.
Brazilians are flocking to VPN services as the country’s new mandatory age verification rules officially come into effect.
According to the latest data from Google Trends, searches for “VPN” in Brazil have been slowly increasing since Monday.
Leading privacy provider Proton VPN has confirmed a 250% increase in registrations from the country overnight from Monday to Tuesday.
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David Peterson, chief executive of Proton VPN, told TechRadar that “these increases often reflect adult users turning to VPNs due to growing concerns about their online privacy and security.”
The digital ECA (Digital Estatuto da Criança e do Adolescente or Lei 15.211/2025) came into force on March 17. Under the rules, online service providers must verify that users are old enough to access content deemed inappropriate for minors. It includes social media, online games and adult content.
The stakes for the platforms are high. Failure to comply can result in services being limited or completely blocked, as well as massive fines of up to 10% of the company’s Brazilian revenue, capped at 50 million Brazilian reais (nearly US$10 million).
Why Brazilians are turning to VPNs
The Digital ECA establishes a strict framework for online service providers to protect children from age-inappropriate content. However, similar to the debate seen in Europe and the United Kingdom, these age insurance provisions are raising concerns among digital rights advocates.
Under the new rules, adult websites, social media platforms and gaming services must verify that users meet the minimum age requirement – generally 18 for adult content and 16 for social media.
The law requires “proportional, verifiable and technically secure” verification, which effectively requires all users to submit identity data or biometric scans to prove their age.
Proton VPN’s David Peterson told TechRadar that while the company “fully supports” efforts to protect young people from harmful content, he also stressed the importance of “implementing solutions that also respect user privacy and security.”
Proton VPN confirmed 250% increase in downloads from the country
Brazil’s new law explicitly states that age verification methods – which may include scanning national identity documents or collecting biometric data – must preserve users’ privacy through strict data minimization rules.
However, many Brazilians are not convinced. Wary of sharing sensitive identity information with a wide range of platforms, users are increasingly looking for ways to protect their personal information.
VPN services offer a simple solution to improve online privacy. By encrypting all outgoing Internet traffic, they prevent third parties from monitoring user activity.
However, it is essential to choose a secure provider. Unreliable or “fraudulent” VPN apps often pose a greater risk to your data than the platforms you’re trying to avoid.
For users looking to protect their data in Brazil, TechRadar has a comprehensive guide to the best VPN services available today. For those on a budget, our experts have also ranked the best free VPNs, with Proton VPN and PrivadoVPN currently leading the market in terms of security and reliability.
We test and review VPN services in the context of legal recreational uses. For example: 1. Access a service from another country (subject to the terms and conditions of that service). 2. Protect your online security and strengthen your online privacy abroad. We do not support or approve the use of a VPN service to break the law or conduct illegal activities. Consumption of paid pirated content is not endorsed or endorsed by Future Publishing.
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