The European Commission You now have your application ready to verify the age of users Internet. In an appearance, the Executive headed by Ursula Von der Leyen has presented this Wednesday a technological solution with which it intends to restrict access to social networks of minors to protect them from online dangers.
The European Union thus responds to growing pressure from countries such as SpainGermany, France, Italy, Austria or Denmark that are studying the adoption of restrictions for younger Internet users or that have already made them effective. These age controls seek to limit access to digital platforms, but also to potentially harmful content such as pornography or the bets.
The solution designed by the European Commission is not a single, closed application, but rather a software open source that each national government can adapt to its needs. Thus, each country of the UE could have its own verification app onlineall sharing the same base.
“[La solución] will help ensure that everyone has the same access to the Internet, as long as national regulations allow it,” he stressed. Henna Virkkunenexecutive vice president for Technological Sovereignty, Security and Democracy. “In addition, it will allow adults to continue browsing Internet with total privacywhile ensuring that children do not have access to content that is not suitable for them.
Henna Virkkunen, Vice President of Technological Sovereignty of the European Commission, announces a new app to verify the age of internet users. / Nicolas Tucat / AFP
The Community Executive announced in mid-April that its solution was “technically ready.” Now, after “completing the technical work”, “it is ready for the Member States to adapt it to their needs and put it into operation.” For this reason, it has approved a series of recommendations in which it asks them to adopt a new app to verify the age of its users. A suggestion that is not mandatory according to the eIDAS 2the European regulation that introduces European Digital Identity Portfolio.
In Spain, at the end of 2026
However, some of the Member States have indicated to Politico who are indecisive and even unwilling to use the system created from Brussels. Some, such as the Netherlands, will review the cybersecurity of the European software, while others such as Germany, Finland or Estonia have directly said that they are not considering its implementation. Virkkunen has indicated that in the coming days he will meet with those countries to “resolve any outstanding implementation issues.”
This is not the case of Spain, which began working on this technological solution before the Commission. Sources from the Ministry for Digital Transformation and Public Service confirm to EL PERIÓDICO that at the end of 2026 the digital wallet. This, in addition to functioning as a digital identity card, will also serve as an online age verification mechanism. This app will allow the Government of Pedro Sanchez apply the regulation with which it intends to prohibit social networks for minors under 16 years of age.
Also known as EUDI Wallet It will progressively incorporate other digitized identifiers such as driving licenses or university degrees, allowing European citizens to move around the continent without the need to carry a physical copy. In Spain, the adoption of these use cases does not currently have set deadlines, although there are groups that have been working on it for months, reports from the Ministry for Digital Transformation and Public Service.
How will it work?
Brussels has promised that the app will be “easy to use.” Users will need to authenticate their identity through two steps: scan the chip integrated into their DAYS o passport and record a video to compare your face with the one on the document. Only then will the program generate a proof of age credential.
In this way, and in a similar way to the app that was enabled during the COVID-19 pandemic covidthe website accessed by the Internet user will not know their identity or exact age, only whether or not they comply with the limit established in each case. The certificate will also not store users’ personal data such as their name or date of birth, as enabled by the EU.
This is possible thanks to a cryptographic protocol known as (zero-knowledge proof), a method in which a third party confirms that the user’s statement is true. with that technology You can verify your identity anonymously.
The protection of minors on which Virkkunen and the EC insist so much has been translated this Wednesday into a warning of MORE to the technology giant Metawho is accused of violating the Digital Services Law (DSA) by allowing users under 13 years of age to access Facebook e Instagramwhich exposes them to “experiences inappropriate for their age.”
Subscribe to continue reading
