• Fight for the Future is running its 2nd annual Defend VPNs Day of Action
• VPN restrictions are increasingly being tucked inside new internet laws
• Utah, Michigan, the UK, Russia are among those targeting VPNs this year

Digital rights advocates are once again asking people around the world to stand up for VPNs, as lawmakers increasingly treat privacy tools as a loophole to be closed.

September 25 marks the second annual Defend VPNs Day of Action, organized by digital rights group Fight for the Future. The campaign asks users to sign an open letter and call their representatives, urging them not to ban or restrict VPNs.

Whether you rely on the best VPN on the market or a free app to stay safe on public Wi-Fi, the rules around how you can use it are changing fast.

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What is the Defend VPNs Day of Action?

The campaign launched in 2025, when Fight for the Future says it engaged around 20,000 people. This year, the group wants to build on that number.

Supporters can sign a letter to government leaders at DefendVPNs.com, which calls VPNs an essential tool for privacy and access to information. The site can also connect users directly to their lawmakers' offices by phone, and it provides a suggested script.

VPN providers are getting involved, too. Amnezia VPN and IPVanish have already announced their support and are encouraging users to sign the petition, while Surfshark is also listed as a supporter.

Why VPNs need defending

According to Fight for the Future, VPN bans and restrictions rarely appear on their own. Instead, they are most often bundled into age verification bills, or "online ID checks," that require people to prove their age before accessing certain sites.

Advocates argue the stakes go far beyond adult content. Fight for the Future says the most vulnerable people rely on VPNs to reach loved ones, seek healthcare, and find information that is increasingly locked behind ID checks and biometric scans.

"Using VPNs is not criminal," said Sarah Philips, Campaign Director at Fight for the Future, adding that "Using VPNs is a right that must be defended at all costs from governments who are doing their best to break down what little privacy we have in the current tech landscape."

A year of attacks on VPNs

Here's a quick look at the biggest threats since last year's Day of Action.

Despite lawmakers in Wisconsin scrapping a provision forcing sites to block VPN users after widespread backlash, SB 73 made Utah the first US state to target VPNs in an age verification law.

A proposed "public morals" bill in Michigan would make ISPs block VPNs, with fines of up to $500,000 for promoting them. It remains in play.

In the UK, Ministers ruled out age-gating or banning VPNs, but platforms are now expected to stop users from circumventing age checks themselves.

Australia's officials explored ways to block age verification workarounds, while the EU has signaled VPNs could be next in line after announcing a social media ban for teens.

In Brazil, VPN use became an aggravating factor in crimes, Reclaim The Net reported.

In Russia, Human Rights Watch reported this week that at least 469 VPNs had been blocked by February, with authorities now turning to bulk IP blocks and app store takedowns. Amnezia VPN itself was targeted in June and needed around six weeks to fully recover.

With youth social media bans spreading to Indonesia, Malaysia, and the UAE, Fight for the Future warns that VPNs will only face more scrutiny.

Anyone who wants to add their voice can do so at DefendVPNs.com.

• Opera's free built-in VPN can now switch itself on public, unsecured Wi-Fi
• The opt-in feature is rolling out to users in the US and France first
• Opera VPN Free still only protects your browser

Opera browser is making it harder to forget about your VPN.

The company's free, built-in VPN for desktop can now turn itself on when you connect to a public or unsecured Wi-Fi network.

The feature is opt-in, so you'll need to enable it in settings first, and it's rolling out to desktop users in the US and France starting today.

Even the best VPN can't protect you if it isn't switched on, and Opera is betting that removing that manual step will get more people covered on risky networks.

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Opera VPN Free goes on autopilot

Opera has offered its built-in VPN since 2016. It's free, doesn't require an account, and has no fixed bandwidth cap. Its no-logs policy has also been independently audited by Deloitte. Until now, though, you had to remember to switch it on yourself.

With this new setting, however, the Opera browser turns the VPN on automatically when it spots a public network. So, working from a café, studying on campus, or browsing at an airport no longer means activating the VPN manually every time.

The option first surfaced in testing earlier this month, when release notes for Opera Developer 137 listed an option for the VPN to connect automatically on public networks.

Arjan van Leeuwen, Head of Opera One Engineering, said VPNs "are a vital part of users' digital hygiene".

The company also notes that competitors like Chrome and Safari still don't offer built-in browser VPN features by default. It also cites We Are Social data showing that only 23% of internet users worldwide used a VPN as of Q4 2025.

Why public Wi-Fi is a risk

Public Wi-Fi is convenient, but open networks can be joined by anyone nearby, who can then snoop on or inject malicious traffic.

A trustworthy VPN encrypts your traffic, which makes it much harder for attackers to intercept and steal your data.

Automating that step closes the gap between knowing you should use a VPN and actually doing it.

Opera VPN Free vs Pro: a quick overview

Opera VPN Free is built into the browser and costs nothing. However, it only protects traffic inside Opera, so apps like Spotify, Steam, or a standalone email client still use your regular connection.

Opera VPN Pro, which launched as a paid tier in 2022, is a system-wide VPN. It covers up to six Windows, macOS, or Android devices, and it has run on ExpressVPN's Lightway protocol since mid-2025, with 48 server locations.

Lightway also brings post-quantum protection by default. Opera lists Pro from $4 per month, and new users can try it with a 7-day free trial.

If you mainly want to keep your browsing safe on the odd café hotspot, the free VPN with auto-connect is an easy win. If you want every app on your device protected, you'll need Pro or a dedicated VPN app.

• Obscura VPN has released a native Linux app, with both GUI and CLI
• Official packages cover Debian, Ubuntu, Fedora, Arch, and other derivatives
• The provider has also switched to an open-source GPLv3 license

Obscura VPN has finally arrived on Linux. The privacy-focused provider has launched a native desktop app for the platform, meaning Linux users no longer need to set up the service manually.

This rounds off a busy year for the newcomer, which only recently landed on Windows. With this release, Obscura now supports macOS, iOS, Android, Windows, and Linux.

For privacy-minded Linux fans hunting for the best VPN for their setup, Obscura's unusual two-party design makes it one of the more interesting options.

The company is also relicensing its code under GPLv3, which will appeal to open-source purists.

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What's new in Obscura's Linux app

Obscura's Linux app ships with a full graphical interface, alongside an experimental command-line interface for users who prefer the terminal. Until now, Linux users had to rely on a manual WireGuard setup guide to connect. The native app means no more juggling configuration files, making the service far more accessible.

Obscura offers official packages for Debian, Ubuntu, Fedora (including Atomic Desktops like Silverblue), and Arch, as well as derivatives like Linux Mint, RHEL, Silverblue, CachyOS, and Omarchy. Minimum requirements include Ubuntu 24.04, Debian 13, Fedora 44, and RHEL 10, and the app is installed through Obscura's own package repository.

The Linux client also supports Obscura's QUIC-based stealth protocol, which makes VPN traffic look like ordinary HTTP/3 web browsing. This can help you get past networks that block VPNs.

To mark the launch, Obscura is offering 25% off for a limited time with the promo code LINUX26. The service normally costs around $8 per month, with no free tier.

Obscura goes GPLv3

Alongside the launch, Obscura has moved from the PolyForm Noncommercial License 1.0.0 to the GNU General Public License v3.0, which it says furthers its commitment to open-source software.

Obscura's code has been public since day one, but GPLv3 is a true open-source license, giving the community more freedom to inspect, modify, and share it. It's the same license Mullvad uses for its own apps.

What is Obscura VPN?

Obscura was founded by Carl Dong, a former Bitcoin Core contributor, and first launched on macOS in February 2025. It promised to set the standard for next-gen VPNs, and has since expanded to iOS, then Android, Windows, and now Linux.

Its big selling point is a two-party relay. Obscura acts as the entry node and sees your real IP address, while Mullvad VPN handles the exit node and sees the websites you visit. This means no single provider knows both who you are and what you browse.

That design has already been tested. Security firm Cure53 audited Obscura and found no major security vulnerabilities, as we reported last December.

• ExpressVPN has released version 14.3.1 for its Windows, Mac, and Linux apps
• Advanced Protection's ad and tracker blocking now works beyond the Lightway protocol
• The update also brings a rebuilt speed test, stronger screen reader support, and fixes for each platform

ExpressVPN has pushed out another update for its desktop VPN apps, and this one packs in more than the last few. Version 14.3.1 landed on Windows, Mac, and Linux on September 22.

The biggest change is that Advanced Protection, ExpressVPN's set of ad, tracker, and malicious site blockers, now works across all VPN protocols. There's also a rebuilt speed test, smarter split tunneling, and plenty of reliability fixes.

It's the latest in a busy year for one of TechRadar's best VPN recommendations, following a visual makeover and a stable MCP server for AI tools in June.

Advanced Protection finally works on every protocol

Until now, Advanced Protection on ExpressVPN's desktop apps only functioned with the VPN switched on and the Lightway or Automatic protocol selected.

Version 14.3.1 lifts that restriction, so you can now block ads, trackers, and harmful sites while using OpenVPN or WireGuard.

That's a welcome change for anyone who switches protocols to cope with tricky networks, since you no longer have to give up those protections to do it. ExpressVPN notes the feature is rolling out gradually, so not everyone will see it straight away.

Faster speed tests and smarter split tunneling

The built-in speed test has been rebuilt to run faster and deliver more precise results, which should make choosing the quickest server an easier job.

Split tunneling is more reliable for apps you exclude from the VPN, and the setup guidance has been refreshed. On Windows, the feature no longer keeps scanning for new apps when it's switched off, which cuts CPU usage. On Mac, split tunneling now leaves DNS traffic alone, so it can run alongside Advanced Protection.

On the accessibility side, screen readers can now navigate the location list, protocol settings, split tunneling, and auto-connect rules. The app also announces connection status and settings changes. That builds on the accessibility push in version 14.1.0, an area where our review rated the app just three out of five.

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Fixes for every platform

Mac users get a fix that stops Docker containers from disrupting networking while connected, and the app now launches even when there's no network after waking or booting.

On Windows, the VPN stays connected when your screen turns off on Modern Standby PCs, and installation is more reliable on ARM64 devices.

Linux users benefit from improved Lightway routing and DNS configuration on systems that use resolvectl, including Pop!_OS, along with native desktop notifications. It's another step forward for ExpressVPN as a Linux VPN option, following the arrival of its rebuilt Qt-based Linux app in late 2025.

If you already use ExpressVPN, the update should install automatically. Otherwise, you can download the latest build from ExpressVPN's website. To confirm you're on 14.3.1, check the app version, which now sits at the bottom of the sidebar.

• CyberGhost has rebuilt the server list in its iOS app from the ground up
• Browse, Streaming, and Favourites now live in their own tabs
• The overhaul is CyberGhost's most meaningful iPhone update in a while

CyberGhost has pushed out a new update for its iOS app, and this time it's one iPhone users will actually notice. The update includes a completely rebuilt server list, the part of the app you touch every time you pick a location.

According to the release notes, Browse (All), Streaming, and Favourites now sit in their own tabs. You can search for any country or city instantly, and scrolling and animations have been smoothed out throughout.

CyberGhost is not on our list of the best VPN services currently, but it remains one of the fastest, most reliable picks for streaming, so any polish to the everyday experience is welcome.

The move also mirrors what we have seen elsewhere. Private Internet Access, another Kape-owned service, recently broke a long silence with a wave of app and network upgrades of its own.

What's new in CyberGhost's iOS update

The core change is structural. Instead of one long scrolling list, the server picker is now split into three tabs: Browse for all countries, Streaming for servers optimised for platforms like Netflix, and Favourites for the locations you have saved.

A new search bar sits alongside those tabs, so you can type a country or city and jump straight to it rather than thumbing through the whole roster. CyberGhost offers servers in 100 countries, so it's a much-needed shortcut.

This is a quality-of-life update, not a new feature drop, and it targets friction most users feel daily: finding the right server quickly.

Splitting streaming servers into their own tab is especially useful given CyberGhost's strong unblocking record, and instant search removes the guesswork when you need a specific city for local content.

It's worth noting the update does not touch privacy tooling, and CyberGhost's no-logs policy was last put under an independent Deloitte audit back in 2024.

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How to use the new features

After updating the iPhone app, tap the location area on the home screen to open the rebuilt server list.

Use the tabs along the top to switch between Browse, Streaming, and Favourites, or tap the search bar to find a country or city by name.

To save a location, tap the star next to it and it will appear under Favourites next time.