Platforms like Reddit, Bluesky, Discord, and Pornhub have been rolling out mandatory age verification requirements in the UK over the past few weeks to comply with new online safety rules. As reports have noted across Reddit, Bluesky, and the comments on The Verge’s quick post this morning, many online platforms ask users to verify their age based on their IP address. A VPN allows users to bypass age checks entirely, however, and teens are savvy enough to figure that out. I should know, given I was using them at 14 to bypass firewalls on my school computers. And VPNs aren’t the only workaround — some ad blockers like uBlock Origin allow users to create custom filters that can bypass age restrictions.