In 2025, age checks started locking people out of the internet | Malwarebytes

In 2025, age verification systems began restricting internet access in Europe and the US, particularly for adult content, leading to geo-blocking and increased VPN usage as users sought to bypass these new access controls. The core tension lies between child safety and user privacy, as most age verification methods require surrendering sensitive personal data, increasing data breach risks and potentially chilling legitimate online activity.