How to Keep Kids Safe Online? Europe Believes Its Age Verification App Is the Answer

The European Commission has announced the launch of a new age verification application intended to determine users ages using legal identification across phones, tablets, and computers. Commission President Ursula von der Leyen stated that the app is technically ready and soon available for citizens to use. Many EU member states, including France, Italy, Spain, and Greece, plan to integrate the app into their national digital wallets. This centralized approach differs from previous efforts where internet companies bore the burden of proving user age requirements individually. The initiative follows similar legislative actions in the United Kingdom and Australia, where social media bans led to a surge in VPN app downloads as users attempted to circumvent restrictions. By requiring age proof only once, the EU aims to reduce privacy and security concerns associated with third party verification services. In parallel enforcement actions, the Commission ordered TikTok to modify its addictive algorithm under the Digital Services Act, warning of fines up to 6 percent of its annual global turnover for non compliance. Commission Executive Vice President Henna Virkkunen confirmed similar actions are being taken against Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, and Shein, alongside four pornographic platforms lacking proper age verification tools.