Online Safety Act could push children to dark web, Farage claims
More than 6,000 platforms including the major social media networks and pornography sites introduced age checks on Friday under the Online Safety Act.
Farage said the act carried a risk that free speech would be 'erased at the stroke of a pen'.
Under the rules, children must be prevented from seeing pornography and material that promotes suicide, self-harm and eating disorders. Technology companies must verify whether users are over 18 using facial age checks and official ID documents. They can also assess e-mail addresses or contact books to establish a user's age.
However, the use of virtual private networks (VPNs) has surged in recent days, taking five of the top 10 slots on the free Apple app store chart. Google's app store chart is not dominated by VPNs.
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