EU Commission unveils online age verification proposals - EU Commission Implements Online Age Verification Processes
The European Union (EU) is taking significant strides to safeguard children from inappropriate online content, with the development and pilot testing of a user-friendly, privacy-preserving, and harmonized digital age verification system. This system, designed to prove a user's age without revealing any personal information, is set to ensure compliance with age restrictions while safeguarding privacy.
The European Commission has released a blueprint for this age verification solution, which is free, secure, easy to use, and compatible with the EU Digital Identity Wallet (eID Wallet). The solution uses anonymous proof of age derived from official documents or trusted third parties such as banking apps, ensuring that no personally identifiable data is shared with online services once proof of age is issued.
Several Member States, including Denmark, France, Greece, Italy, and Spain, are currently in the pilot phase, developing their own national age verification apps based on this technical solution. The rollout anticipates scaling the pilot to other EU countries in coordination with national authorities and digital services coordinators.
In terms of privacy and regulatory safeguards, the system aligns with the Digital Services Act (DSA) Article 28 guidelines, emphasizing data minimization and strong privacy protections. The European Data Protection Board has outlined fundamental principles to prevent privacy infringements, and non-governmental watchdogs stress the importance of balancing child protection with privacy, free expression, and equitable access.
Germany, as an EU Member State, is expected to adopt and integrate such digital age verification systems with its national digital identity infrastructure in alignment with EU plans by 2026. The integration aims to allow users to seamlessly prove their age online using their national eID or Digital Identity Wallet without additional apps or procedures, contributing to a unified EU-wide digital identity ecosystem.
The digital age check is initially being tested in Denmark, France, Spain, Greece, and Italy. Denmark, during its EU Council presidency, wants to drive the issue forward, with its digital minister, Caroline Stage Olsen, comparing the online world to the situation outside a nightclub in Brussels, stating that it's hard to imagine children getting into a club just by saying they're old enough. No ID check has been required online for children to access inappropriate content for years, according to Denmark's digital minister.
The new measures aim to reduce addiction risk for young users by disabling functions that encourage addictive behavior, such as "streaks" in online games, for minors. The guidelines are part of the broader effort to protect children and young people online, with children's profiles proposed to be set to private by default and only visible to confirmed contacts.
The digital age check is designed to anonymously verify the age of users without storing personal data such as name or date of birth. The technology is planned to be integrated into the digital EU identity (eID) in the long term. These new measures are part of the implementation of the Digital Services Act (DSA), which imposes stricter requirements on large internet platforms to protect their users.
Looking beyond the EU, Australia is seen as an international model, with social networks soon to only be accessible from the age of 16. As the pilot phase and ensuing scale-up determine the detailed implementation timeline and national integrations, the EU Commission has proposed a digital age check to prevent children and young people from accessing inappropriate content online. However, there is currently no specific mention of the digital age check's expansion to other EU countries beyond Germany.
- The European Commission's new policy-and-legislation, in line with the Digital Services Act (DSA) and the European Data Protection Board's guidelines, aims to ensure the general-news digital age verification system aligns with principles preventing privacy infringements, balancing child protection with free expression, and equitable access.
- Beyond the EU, other countries, such as Australia, are looking to national models to implement stricter health-and-wellness measures, like limiting social network access to individuals aged 16 and older, mirroring the EU's effort to reduce addiction risk for young users via the digital age verification system.
- In parallel with the EU's science and technology initiatives, mental-health policy-and-legislation is evolving to include provisions that anonymously verify users' age without storing personal data, promoting a safer and more secure online environment for children and young people.
