3 min learnNew DelhiMar 9, 2026 11:20 AM IST
Australians have been downloading digital non-public networks (VPNs) in droves, whereas one of many world’s largest pornography distributors stated it was blocking customers because the nation rolled out sweeping on-line age restrictions on Monday.
Final December, Australia turned the primary nation to impose a nationwide ban on youngsters utilizing social media. A separate legislation now requires AI-powered chatbot providers to maintain sure content material – together with pornography, excessive violence and self-harm and consuming dysfunction materials – from minors or face fines of as much as A$49.5 million ($34.5 million).
The nation additionally joined Britain, France and dozens of U.S. states requiring web sites which disseminate pornography to confirm customers are over 18. App shops should additionally run age checks earlier than permitting downloads of software program labelled 18+.
The nation’s eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant stated the measures aimed to afford kids the identical safety on-line because the world anticipated offline.
“A baby immediately can’t stroll right into a bar and order a drink, they’ll’t stroll right into a strip membership or browse an grownup store or sit down at a blackjack desk in a on line casino,” she advised the Australian Broadcasting Corp.
“This simply actually brings … these protections that we put for youths in place to the digital realm.”
Three of the 15 most downloaded free smartphone apps on Monday have been VPNs, a chart revealed by iPhone maker Apple confirmed. Probably the most downloaded VPN, known as VPN – Tremendous Limitless Proxy, ranked forward of any social media platform, the chart confirmed.
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VPN – Tremendous Limitless Proxy didn’t instantly reply to a Reuters request for remark. All internet-connected units carry a person code which discloses their location, and VPNs disguise the consumer’s location by assigning a new code to the gadget.
Canada-based Aylo, proprietor of a giant community of pornography web sites, in the meantime blocked Australians from accessing the platforms RedTube and YouPorn, whereas presenting a model of Pornhub with out specific content material.
All of the web sites carried a banner saying it was “not at present accepting new account registrations in your area”.
Aylo didn’t reply to a Reuters request for remark. The Sydney Morning Herald quoted an Aylo spokesperson saying the corporate’s Australian customers could be “introduced with a safe-for-work expertise once they view our platforms”.
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Tom Sulston, deputy chair of advocacy group Digital Rights Watch, stated it was unsurprising that individuals have been reaching for VPNs.
“My hope is that, not solely will they uncover that this works for taking a look at spicier web websites, however that it’s simply typically a good suggestion to make use of VPNs while you’re traversing the web, as a result of they do give you some privateness protections.”