VPN use soars in Brazil as age-verification laws come into force
The mandatory age verification restrictions that have been a hot topic in many countries have landed in Brazil, leading to a surge in VPN use.
Google Trends data shows that searches for “VPN” have been increasing in the country since Monday.
Proton VPN, a privacy provider, noticed a 250% increase in new users in Brazil from Monday to Tuesday, reports TechRadar.
The reason behind this is that the country is invoking the Digital ECA (Digital Statute of the Child and Adolescent, or Estatuto da Criança e do Adolescente).
This law, which came into effect on March 17th, 2026, was enforced to protect minors online.
According to the Digital ECA, digital service providers must verify users’ ages to ensure the content they see is appropriate.
Platforms that don’t comply with the Digital ECA can face suspension or even prohibition and be fined up to 10% of a company's Brazilian revenue or 50 million Brazilian reais (around $10 million) per violation.
As in many other countries, the law requires users to meet a certain age threshold to use platforms such as social media, websites with adult-only content, or gaming services.
The usual minimum age requested by social media platforms is 16, while for adult content services it's 18.
While many agree that minors should be protected from the damaging side of digital platforms, some are also concerned about the ways in which it’s done.
The conversation on this topic is live. Join in the discussion.
The age verification strategy often requires users to share personal data, such as scanning their ID or providing biometric data, to verify their age.
This is when a VPN comes in handy, as it protects users' data from third parties.
Check if your data has been leaked
The social media ban for kids under 16 has been discussed or already implemented across Europe and Asia.
The first to take the lead in banning kids from using social media was Australia.
In the UK, a prominent parent blog website, Mumsnet, has launched a campaign supporting the same social media ban, urging the government to act faster as more young kids become addicted to these platforms.
However, despite good intentions to protect young people from the harmful effects of social media, the ban also raises other issues, such as kids finding ways to bypass these restrictions and the risk of increased surveillance, data breaches, and leaks as more users share their information online to get verified.
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