UK proxy traffic surges as users consider VPN alternatives amid Online Safety Act www.theregister.com/2025/08/0…

Amid the furor around surging VPN usage in the UK, many users are eyeing proxies as a potential alternative to the technology.

A proxy server sits between a device and the internet – the most common type is a “forward proxy” – effectively acting as an intermediary and masking a user’s IP address. It can also overcome geo-restrictions and, in light of recent restrictions in the UK arising from the Online Safety Act, present an alternative to VPNs.

The UK’s Online Safety Act requires regulated services providing primary-priority content, such as commercial pornography or self-harm and suicide material, to check the age of UK users before allowing access.