Australians rushed to download virtual private networks (VPNs) on Monday as sweeping online age restrictions came into force, while one of the world’s largest pornography distributors blocked users in the country from accessing its platforms.
Last December, Australia became the first nation to introduce a nationwide ban preventing teenagers from using social media. Under a separate law that has now taken effect, AI-powered chatbot services must prevent minors from accessing certain types of content — including pornography, extreme violence, and material related to self-harm or eating disorders — or face fines of up to A$49.5 million ($34.5 million).
Australia has also joined Britain, France and several U.S. states in requiring websites that host pornographic content to verify that users are over the age of 18. In addition, app stores must conduct age checks before allowing downloads of software rated for adults.
Australia’s eSafety Commissioner, Julie Inman Grant, said the new rules are intended to ensure children receive the same protections online that already exist in the offline world.
She explained that minors cannot legally enter bars, strip clubs, adult shops or casinos in real life, and the new regulations aim to extend those safeguards to the digital environment.
The immediate impact of the restrictions was evident in app download rankings. According to a chart published by Apple, three of the 15 most downloaded free smartphone apps on Monday were VPN services. The top-ranking VPN app, “VPN – Super Unlimited Proxy,” even surpassed major social media platforms in download numbers.
The company behind the app did not immediately respond to requests for comment. VPNs allow users to hide their location by masking the unique internet address assigned to their devices.
At the same time, Canada-based company Aylo — which operates a large network of adult websites — restricted access for Australian users to platforms such as RedTube and YouPorn, while displaying a limited version of Pornhub without explicit content.
Visitors to the sites were shown a message stating that the platforms were “not currently accepting new account registrations” in their region.
Aylo said it had previously restricted access to its services in several other places, including the United Kingdom, France and a number of U.S. states, due to what it described as inconsistent and ineffective age-verification laws.
Tom Sulston, deputy chair of digital rights advocacy group Digital Rights Watch, said the surge in VPN downloads was predictable.
He noted that while many people may initially use VPNs to access restricted websites, they could also come to appreciate the broader privacy benefits such services offer when browsing the internet.
($1 = 1.4351 Australian dollars)