In 2026, Anonymous Internet Access Will Disappear in All Developed Countries
Every click and view will be tied to a real person through digital ID systems.
Every click and view will be tied to a real person through digital ID systems.
In the United Kingdom, new rules under the Online Safety Act have come into force, sparking a strong reaction from both users and representatives of the IT industry. Starting July 25, thousands of websites — including TikTok, Reddit, and X — began implementing strict age verification mechanisms to limit access to content classified as harmful, ranging from pornography to discussions of self-harm and cyberbullying. According to the law, any platform must verify that a user is 18 or older before allowing access to such material.
These new regulations have triggered a surge in VPN app installations. In just a few days, Swiss-based Proton VPN reported a 1,800% increase in new users. Such services are typically used in countries with high levels of censorship or to bypass restrictions on accessing adult content. However, this time the spike was caused by actions from UK lawmakers. Still, experts believe that this flight to anonymity won’t provide a lasting solution.
According to Ilia Kolochenko, head of ImmuniWeb, a new era is just beginning, with the UK merely the first of many countries likely to follow the same path. He believes the law could be effective if its implementation considers the interests of all parties involved. Specifically, there must be a balance between protecting children from harmful content and preserving digital privacy for adult users. The age verification mechanism itself, he says, has a right to exist — provided that browsing history and personal data are not shared with third-party services.
However, the essence of these changes raises concerns among companies closely tied to the adult entertainment industry. Pornhub has already stated that the current form of the law's requirements is unsafe for users. The platform's representatives emphasize that while age filtering is necessary, it should not come with risks of personal data leaks.
Meanwhile, UK authorities maintain a firm stance. The regulator Ofcom has publicly supported mandatory age verification, stating that it is a real way to restrict minors' access to harmful information. Public opinion polls show widespread support for the law, with the main argument being the protection of children from potential exploitation online.
Despite users’ attempts to bypass the system, authorities are already considering tightening control. According to forecasts, the next steps may include legislative restrictions on VPN usage — something already seen in countries like Turkey. Moreover, major content providers are fully capable of implementing VPN traffic filtering technologies — such measures could block up to 90% of popular IP-masking services.
There are also more sophisticated circumvention methods — from generating fake driver’s licenses with photos of parliamentarians to using deepfakes. But employing such tactics can lead to criminal charges, including fraud and identity theft.
Additionally, as Kolochenko points out, such schemes do not pose a significant threat: most minors lack the skills to implement them, and adults who wish to remain anonymous will likely just refrain from accessing controversial content.
Thus, the UK has found itself on the front lines of a new digital standoff, where issues of privacy, legality, and technological adaptation intersect with the need to protect minors online. And while the consequences remain up for debate, one thing is clear: the rest of the world is unlikely to remain on the sidelines — similar scenarios will likely become reality in other countries soon.
