- “And then?” by Mullvad TV advert banned in UK
- The outdoor campaign criticizing the TV ban also met with resistance
- Mullvad’s anti-surveillance ad ran in Germany, Sweden and the United States.
Swedish VPN provider Mullvad is known for its strong stance on privacy – and its willingness to speak out about it. However, when the company attempted to offer its anti-surveillance program “What Then?” advertising on British television, it was rejected.
Directed by Jonas Åkerlund, the 30-second spot aims to raise awareness about online censorship and mass surveillance. Initially 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.
Although the ad had already been broadcast in Germany, Sweden and the United States, the British advertising watchdog, Clearcast, blocked the broadcast. Clearcast cited a “lack of clarity” and argued that mentions of violent criminals were “inappropriate and irrelevant” and could “imply that the VPN facilitates criminal activity.”
According to Mullvad, TfL forced the company to change its advertising on the London Underground. The first victim was a poster with a QR code referring to the banned advertising.
A second design, depicting the Mullvad logo on a Union Jack with the caption “Banned on British television”, also met opposition and was subsequently blocked.
Today we took to the streets with a big “And then?” campaign in the United Kingdom, despite strong opposition. First up, our TV commercial “What Next?” was banned from British television. And then the outdoor advertising campaign intended to criticize the television ban was largely halted. Here you can watch… pic.twitter.com/n8NZNmvEDOFebruary 22, 2026
“Ultimately, we chose to just put out the message ‘What next?’ as a relevant question for illegal commuters in a country sliding down the slippery slope of mass surveillance and censorship,” Mullvad said.
The provider noted that, unlike underground restrictions, its above-ground QR code campaign was successfully launched with “no resistance so far.”
The battle for visibility moved to the streets of London today, when Mullvad confirmed plans to bypass traditional broadcast channels by projecting the banned adverts directly onto city walls.
Although the exact locations and times of these guerrilla-style shows remain closely guarded, the move marks a significant escalation in Mullvad’s public protest against British advertising standards.
TechRadar has contacted Mullvad for further details and will update this story as it develops.
What are the challenges for the online privacy of the British?
Mullvad’s persistence in running his campaign in the UK is a direct response to what he sees as a deteriorating legal landscape around privacy.
“In the UK, mass surveillance and censorship reminiscent of authoritarian countries is about to be introduced; and when we try to criticize this, we are stopped for very vague reasons,” Mullvad said.
Specifically, the provider highlighted the government’s use of the Investigatory Powers Act. In February 2025, the Interior Department issued a secret order – a technical capability notice – requiring Apple to create a backdoor to access encrypted iCloud data. The move sparked an industry-wide backlash and led Apple to remove the feature from the UK market.
Mullvad also highlighted the law’s ongoing impact on online safety and its potential to chill free speech. This situation has been intensified by the government targeting the “VPN gap”.
Last week, Prime Minister Keir Starmer confirmed a three-month consultation period to explore options to “age-restrict or limit VPN use by children”. While the government presents the measure as a child safety measure, critics have called the proposal “embarrassing.”
It is in this climate that, according to Mullvad, resistance to his anti-surveillance campaign could be “a sign” of what could happen next.
“Europe should be a powerful model of freedom and rights, rather than moving in an authoritarian direction. Limiting the ability to criticize mass surveillance is unfortunately a sign that things are going in the wrong direction,” Mullvad said.
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