EU pilots new age verification app

The European Union is taking a major step toward strengthening online safety for minors with the pilot rollout of a new age verification app. Announced earlier this week, the initiative is part of a broader strategy to help online platforms comply with child protection requirements under the EU’s Digital Services Act (DSA). The app is currently being tested in five countries: Denmark, Greece, Spain, France, and Italy.

According to the European Commission, the prototype app is designed to allow users to prove they are over the age of 18 before accessing age-restricted online content. By providing a standardized verification tool, the EU hopes to ease the compliance burden on digital platforms and ensure a higher level of protection for young users. The app is meant to serve as a stopgap solution ahead of the launch of the EU Digital Identity Wallet, which is expected in 2026 and will offer broader digital identity capabilities across the bloc.

Henna Virkkunen, a leading figure in EU tech policy, underscored the significance of the initiative. “Making sure our children and young people are safe online is of paramount importance to this Commission,” she said. “The guidelines on the protection of minors for online platforms, combined with the new age verification blueprint, are a huge step forward in this regard. Platforms have no excuse to be continuing practices that put children at risk.”

The EU’s approach emphasizes user privacy and control. Officials stress that the app will not reveal a user’s exact age or identity to websites, and that browsing activity will remain confidential. This privacy-conscious design aims to address public concerns about surveillance and data misuse, which are especially sensitive in the context of personal identification technologies.

The pilot program involves collaboration between national governments, tech companies, and users to adapt the app for broader deployment. Each of the five participating countries is expected to eventually launch its own version of the app tailored to national standards, while maintaining compatibility with the EU’s broader digital identity framework.

The Digital Services Act does not explicitly mandate the use of specific age verification methods, but it does require platforms to take proactive steps to protect minors. That includes safeguarding their physical and mental well-being, shielding them from harmful content, and ensuring a high level of data privacy and security. In line with these principles, the EU has also issued new recommendations urging platforms to take action against cyberbullying, exposure to harmful or explicit content, unwanted contact from strangers, and the use of manipulative design features that encourage addictive behavior.

This pilot rollout comes at a time when the EU is increasing pressure on adult content websites to implement better safeguards. In May, the European Commission opened formal investigations into four major platforms—Pornhub, Stripchat, XNXX, and XVideos—over concerns that they lacked adequate age verification systems. Officials warned that if the sites fail to address these shortcomings, they could face regulatory consequences. However, the Commission also indicated it would be open to negotiated solutions, such as adopting the EU’s new age verification tool as part of their compliance efforts.

The long-term vision behind this initiative is the creation of the EU Digital Identity Wallet, which aims to allow citizens and residents across the union to securely store and share identification and other sensitive documents. This future platform is expected to include age verification features, allowing for a more seamless and secure way of proving identity online without compromising user privacy.

While the current verification app is intended as a temporary fix, its development signals the EU’s growing urgency in addressing the digital risks facing minors. As platforms become more embedded in the lives of young users, regulators are increasingly focused on ensuring that safety measures keep pace with the evolving digital landscape.

The EU’s move to pilot a centralized age verification system may also influence global tech policy. As other jurisdictions debate similar measures, the success—or shortcomings—of this prototype could shape the way governments and technology providers approach child safety online in the years ahead.