- VPN services are gaining ground among Australians
- Proton VPN and NordVPN are among the most downloaded apps
- All users must now prove they are 18 to access adult content
VPN services are climbing the rankings of Australian app stores as mandatory age verification checks for accessing adult content come into force today.
According to data from Sensor Tower, popular free and secure VPN service Proton VPN fell from 19th to 7th place on Google Play on Monday. TechRadar’s best VPN service, NordVPN, is also seeing a significant increase in downloads on iOS and Android.
Some of the apps that are gaining traction include VPN – Super Unlimited Proxy. Although this free service claims to have a no-logging policy, users should be careful as it logs usage data to track activity across third-party apps and websites and collects sensitive identifiers, including location data, in accordance with Apple’s App Store privacy labels.
Age verification rules in Australia: everything you need to know
Starting March 9, all websites, AI chatbots and online services hosting adult material must verify that users are at least 18 years old.
The new regulations allow service providers to choose their own “appropriate age protection measures”. These typically involve scanning government-issued IDs, verifying credit cards, or using a biometric facial age estimate.
Adult content giant Aylo began restricting access to Australian users on Friday in protest. The company told the Guardian that the measure “creates harms related to data privacy and exposure to illegal content on non-compliant platforms.”
Companies that violate these new rules face significant penalties, up to $49.5 million. These regulations follow a historic ban on social media for users under 16, introduced late last year.
Why are Australians turning to VPNs?
A virtual private network (VPN) is a privacy tool that encrypts a user’s Internet connection and hides their real IP address. By spoofing their location, Australians can make it appear as if they are browsing from another country.
This rise in VPN usage mirrors trends seen in the United Kingdom, where similar age verification measures were introduced, as well as in several U.S. states where such laws are already in effect.
It’s impossible to know how many people use VPNs for privacy reasons, or how many are simply trying to get around the new rules.
Politicians in the UK and US have increasingly expressed a desire to regulate the technology itself. In January 2026, the UK House of Lords proposed that VPN providers introduce a “highly effective” age guarantee for all users.
As the UK government enters a historic three-month consultation period that could see VPNs become age-restricted, the debate in Australia is expected to intensify.
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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