First reported by Newsweek, Google Trends has revealed a completely predictable knock-on effect from the US state of Florida's new ID requirement for accessing internet pornography: Everybody's trying to get in on the VPN game.
Newsweek specifically homed in on the search metrics for "free vpn" via Google Trends, which has spiked over each of the last three days after the law went into effect.
The location and IP address masking services have a variety of uses, including protecting one's privacy and accessing region-locked content, so using a VPN to access porn would undoubtedly be a preferable solution to having a government-issued ID somehow tied to your finest moments.
In addition to "vpn" and «free vpn,» here are some of my favorite related trending search terms from over the past few days in Florida: Florida is now one of 17 states, mostly in the south, to institute an age verification requirement for viewing porn or any «material harmful to minors» in the words of Louisiana's version of the law.
In addition to being a hassle, the invasive nature of the verification doesn't inspire much confidence when our information can be so easily bought, sold, and leaked.