December 6, 2025
Safety Act or VPN Starter Pack?
Ask HN: How many people got VPNs in response to laws like UK Online Safety Act?
Readers say 'safety' laws backfire: VPNs up, trust down
TLDR: A UK “safety” law blocked news content and pushed readers to install VPNs or use Tor to dodge ID checks. The community is split between DIY tunnels, commercial VPN convenience, and deep distrust of verification schemes—calling the policy a backfire that fuels censorship and makes privacy tools mainstream.
A simple question on Hacker News blew up: after the UK’s Online Safety Act blocked a news article and asked for ID, one reader installed Mullvad in 15 minutes and asked, “Who else did this?” The comments turned into a VPN confessional and a policy roast. UK users say they’ve been tunneling for years—one cited the Investigatory Powers Act (which lets authorities access browsing records) and called that “wrong on principle.” Others caved recently: one snapped when a tutorial’s images on Imgur vanished, bought a 3‑year VPN plan, and had their router set up in minutes.
There’s drama over trust: some go full DIY with self‑hosted setups, others embrace big-brand VPNs, and a paranoid crowd worries “the VPN maker is tracking me.” A hot take blames venture capital–driven ID checks for creating the “worst of all worlds.” Another commenter deadpanned they used Tor browser—simple, effective, no loyalty cards required. The original poster says the block was even triggered by a suppressed user comment, then suggested uploading ID to a random site—cue hacking fears and eye-rolls.
Humor keeps it spicy: one “bypassed Arizona’s internet ID law” to watch adult entertainment “for science,” another tunnels into the UK to watch geo‑blocked sports. The vibe? Safety laws are selling VPNs better than VPN ads.
Key Points
- •A user in London found an article on The Free Press blocked to ensure compliance with the UK Online Safety Act.
- •The user initially thought the site was broken before diagnosing a location-based compliance block.
- •They installed Mullvad VPN within 15 minutes and regained access to the article.
- •The post highlights perceived unintended consequences of content-safety legislation leading to VPN adoption.
- •It asks the community how many people have similarly obtained VPNs due to such laws.