The EU Just Called VPNs a "Loophole That Needs Closing" — as Downloads Hit Record Highs
Age verification laws pushed over 2 million people in the UK to install a VPN in a single month. Now regulators on both sides of the Atlantic are asking a question that should worry everyone: what if we restricted VPNs too?
This week, the European Parliamentary Research Service — the EU parliament's own think tank — published a briefing that privacy advocates have been dreading. It describes VPN use as "a loophole in the legislation that needs closing." The legislation in question: the wave of age verification laws rolling out across Europe, the UK, Australia, and a growing list of US states. The "loophole": millions of ordinary adults who would rather encrypt their connection than upload their passport to browse the internet.
The numbers behind the surge
- Over 2 million VPN installs in the UK in a single month after the Online Safety Act's age checks took effect
- One VPN developer reported an 1,800% download surge in the first month alone
- Age verification enforcement in March 2026 produced another record spike in downloads
- Similar surges followed age-check laws in Australia and multiple US states
- The wave is driven largely by adults — not minors — who refuse to hand over IDs or face scans
Why Millions of Adults Are Choosing VPNs
Age verification sounds reasonable on paper: keep children away from adult content. In practice, the laws require everyone — including adults — to prove their age with a government ID, a credit card, or a biometric face scan before accessing large parts of the internet.
That creates a new problem: databases full of identity documents linked to browsing habits. After years of record-breaking data breaches, many adults have made a simple calculation — the risk of their passport being tied to their browsing history and leaked is worse than the inconvenience the law is trying to solve. A VPN routes their connection through another country where the checks don't apply, no ID required.
The Regulators' Response: Target the VPNs
Instead of asking why millions of law-abiding adults are opting out, some regulators are moving against the tool itself:
🇪🇺 European Union — EPRS Briefing
The parliament's research service formally labeled VPNs 'a loophole in the legislation that needs closing' — the first time an official EU body has framed VPN use itself as the problem.
🇬🇧 United Kingdom — Adults-Only VPN Proposal
England's Children's Commissioner has called for VPN services to be restricted to adults only — which would, ironically, require age verification to use the tool people adopted to avoid age verification.
🇺🇸 Utah — First US Law Targeting VPN Users
Utah's new age verification law, in effect since May 6, is the first in the US to directly address VPN traffic — requiring platforms to treat VPN connections as potentially underage.
Are VPNs Actually Getting Banned?
No — and it's important to be precise here. VPNs remain fully legal in the EU, UK, US, and nearly everywhere else. No proposed legislation currently criminalizes individuals for using one. What's changing is the rhetoric: official bodies are now openly discussing VPN restriction as a policy option, which was unthinkable in Western democracies just a few years ago.
History suggests where this goes. Once a surveillance or restriction framework exists, its scope tends to expand — the UK's Online Safety Act harm categories have already been broadened three times since passage. The window where anyone can freely set up strong privacy tools may not stay open forever.
What this means practically
If you've been putting off getting a VPN, the current legislative climate is the strongest argument yet for acting now, while adoption is unrestricted everywhere. An established, paid, no-logs VPN subscription with apps already on your devices is far harder to take away than the ability to sign up fresh under a future restriction regime.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are VPNs getting banned in Europe?
No. VPNs remain fully legal in the EU, UK, and US. But the EU parliament's research service has now formally framed VPNs as a 'loophole', and some officials have proposed adults-only restrictions — a significant shift in tone worth watching.
Why are VPN downloads surging right now?
Age verification laws require adults to hand over government IDs or face scans to access parts of the internet. Millions are choosing to encrypt their connection with a VPN instead — over 2 million UK installs in a single month.
Is it legal to use a VPN to protect my privacy?
Yes. Using a VPN to encrypt your own connection is legal in the UK, EU, US, and most of the world. Laws like Utah's regulate how platforms treat VPN traffic — they don't criminalize you for using one.
Does SoloFlight VPN require ID to sign up?
No. SoloFlight requires only an email address, keeps zero activity logs, and never asks for identity documents. Your subscription is between you and us — your browsing is between you and no one.
Get protected while it's still simple.
No ID. No face scan. No logs. SoloFlight VPN encrypts your connection on every device from $5.80/month — sign up with just an email.