Just a few days after Italy’s data protection watchdog, the Garante, announced the ban of the advanced AI software, ChatGPT, downloads of VPN services in the country skyrocketed. This makes Italy the first Western democracy to follow in the footsteps of countries known for censorship, such as Russia, China, Iran, and North Korea.
According to AtlasVPN, the demand for VPN services has increased by a staggering 400%, with Italians looking for the word ‘VPN’ 600 times more than usual. This is a clear example of how technology users respond to online restrictions placed upon them, and the lengths they would go to gain access to the services they desire.
At the heart of the issue was the lack of effective age verification and the fear of inappropriate content being exposed to minors. The ban on ChatGPT was met with disapproval from Italy’s Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini, who tweeted his disapproval shortly after the announcement.
The Garante’s decision is also one of many attempts to address the growing scrutiny over the China-owned TikTok, and the US-owned OpenAI was left to respond to their privacy concerns. With OpenAI now having 20 days to comply with their orders before risking fines due to GDPR regulations, users in Italy have taken it upon themselves to bypass the ban using the best VPN services.
AtlasVPN remarked that such a surge of VPN users demonstrates the importance of Internet freedom, and how the use of such technology enables people to access online services and information in the face of government-enforced restrictions. They also warned other countries not to follow in Italy’s footsteps as users from across the globe continue to flock to the Internet’s premier services.
Whilst OpenAI promises to protect their users data by reducing personal data collection, the impact of such a ban on the millions of ChatGPT users worldwide may not be fully appreciated. Those in Italy may be out of luck for now until OpenAI finds a way to address the Garante’s concerns, forming yet another example of the importance of freedom of access to the Internet.
