The European Commission says a new age-verification app is technically ready and aims to meet the EU’s strict digital and data-protection standards. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced the tool on Wednesday, saying it could soon let people prove their age online without sharing personal data.
How it works
Users will download the app from an app store and register using a form of identity, such as a passport or national ID. The app then lets them confirm they are above a required age when accessing restricted services or content, without revealing their name or other personal details.
Commission officials compare the system to the digital COVID certificates used during the pandemic. The app is expected to help enforce the Digital Services Act by enabling platforms to limit access to age-restricted content such as pornography, gambling and alcohol-related services.
Privacy and availability
The Commission says the app will operate anonymously, be built on open-source technology and could be adopted beyond the EU. Officials emphasize its design is intended to satisfy the bloc’s strict data-protection rules while giving platforms a practical way to verify age.
Why it matters
Pressure to act on child safety online has grown after measures such as Australia’s ban on social media for under-16s. Several EU countries are weighing minimum age limits for social media, and the European Parliament has urged a 16-year minimum for platform access. Until now, there has been no widely accepted verification tool that complied with EU privacy standards.
Von der Leyen warned that online features like infinite scrolling, highly personalized feeds and short-form videos can be addictive and harmful to young people, saying the situation “is extremely worrying.” While any EU-wide rules would still need to be adopted, enforcement would largely fall to individual member states; the new app is intended to help platforms comply with future national and EU requirements.