The United Kingdom has implemented the Online Safety Act, mandating age verification for accessing adult content and certain online services to protect children from harmful material. This new legislation has led to a surge in VPN usage among UK internet users seeking to bypass the restrictions, with some VPN apps experiencing up to an 1800% increase in downloads. Notably, minors have been exploiting the photo mode feature in the video game 'Death Stranding' to circumvent age checks on platforms like Reddit and Discord. Microsoft has begun rolling out age verification on its Xbox platform in the UK, restricting social features for younger users, with plans to extend these measures to other countries starting in early 2026. The UK's communications regulator Ofcom has launched investigations into 34 pornography websites for non-compliance with the new age verification rules. Additionally, five European Union countries—Denmark, Greece, Spain, France, and Italy—are set to pilot an age verification app to protect children online, following the UK's example. The legislation has sparked concerns about its impact on free speech, with reports of content restrictions on platforms such as X and Reddit, including blocking videos related to asylum seeker protests and wide-ranging political topics. Despite nearly two-thirds of surveyed Britons questioning the effectiveness of the age verification laws, a majority support their implementation. The Online Safety Act's broad effects continue to unfold as enforcement and adaptations progress.