VPNs have gained significant attention in 2025, and not all of it has been positive. The technology's role in circumventing age verification measures and accessing streaming services for reduced prices has consistently landed them in hot water.
Major events, like the arrival of age verification in the UK, have trigged massive increases in VPN demand, with one provider seeing sing-ups rise over 1,000%. Meanwhile, streaming services such as Canal+ have launched legal action against VPN companies for enabling improper access to their services.
As VPNs become increasingly important for accessing day-to-day services, they sit at the center of a growing conflict between privacy and control. However, have the events of 2025 shown that it’s a battle authorities simply can’t win? I think so.
The subscription problem
Take streaming. As providers frequently increase prices and tighten geo-restrictions, VPNs have evolved into important tools for securing cheaper deals and unlocking foreign content libraries.
VPNs allow you to connect to a server in your home country if you’re traveling , so you can retain access to the content you love. However, it works both ways and you can just as easily access content that you strictly shouldn't be able to.
This capability drew the attention of streaming giant Canal+ earlier this year. The streaming service launched a legal case against VPNs, requesting that they block access to 203 sites identified as hosting pirated football streams.
But, as multiple VPNs have pointed out, these requests are near-impossible to implement without compromising their primary purpose, privacy.
I don't think the walls are closing in.”
Himmat Bains
At the time of the initial ruling, a NordVPN spokesperson told TechRadar that adhering to the request while maintaining NordVPN’s privacy obligations was impossible. Almost a year later, the sentiment remains the consensus across the wider industry.
When asked whether Norton VPN was in a similar…