According to TechRadar, internet freedoms have declined for the 15th consecutive year according to Freedom House’s 2025 report, with online anonymity facing unprecedented attacks globally. Out of 72 countries studied, 21 have attempted to block VPNs or circumvention tools within the past five years, while 17 countries have blocked end-to-end encrypted platforms like Signal and Proton Mail between January 2020 and March 2025. The UK served an encryption backdoor order to Apple, causing the company to remove advanced iCloud encryption protection. Countries including the UK, multiple US states, Italy, and soon Australia are implementing mandatory age verification, while Vietnam and China now require identity verification just to post on social media. A UK age verification hack already exposed 70,000 users’ identity documents, demonstrating the immediate security risks of these policies.
The VPN crackdown is getting real
Here’s the thing that really worries me – we’re seeing Western democracies leading the charge against privacy tools. Wisconsin and Michigan are considering blocking VPN traffic to enforce age verification laws. The UK’s Ofcom is actively monitoring VPN usage. This isn’t just authoritarian regimes anymore – it’s happening in places that supposedly value digital rights.
And let’s be honest about why governments hate VPNs. They’re the last line of defense against mass surveillance and censorship. When 21 out of 72 countries are blocking circumvention tools, that tells you everything about how threatened they feel by basic privacy technology.
Encryption is the next battleground
The UK forcing Apple to weaken iCloud encryption should terrify everyone. We’re basically watching governments demand backdoors while pretending they won’t be exploited by bad actors. Remember when security experts warned this would happen? Well, here we are.
Between Signal blocks and encryption-breaking orders, we’re witnessing a coordinated global effort to make private communication impossible. And the Chat Control bill in Europe? It’s the same playbook with different branding. They’re selling it as child protection while building infrastructure for mass monitoring.
Age verification is already failing
That UK hack exposing 70,000 identity documents proves exactly what critics have been saying. These systems create massive honeypots of sensitive data that inevitably get breached. But governments keep pushing them anyway.
Basically, we’re trading actual security for the illusion of protection. And the worst part? These policies disproportionately harm marginalized groups who rely on anonymity for safety. Activists, journalists, abuse survivors – they’re all collateral damage in this war on privacy.
Where does this leave us?
Freedom House’s latest report shows we’ve reached a critical moment. Fifteen years of declining internet freedom isn’t just a trend – it’s a systematic dismantling of digital rights. And the private sector isn’t helping when companies like Apple cave to government pressure.
So what can we do? Push for technologies that protect privacy by design. Support organizations fighting these battles. And most importantly, recognize that once these tools are gone, getting them back will be nearly impossible. The internet as we know it is changing, and not for the better.
