The app works with passports or ID cards, is designed to be “completely anonymous” to people using it, works on any device (smartphones, tablets, and PCs), and is open source. “The best part is that online platforms can easily trust our age verification app, so there are no longer any excuses,” European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said at a press conference on Wednesday. “Europe offers a free and easy-to-use solution that can protect our children from harmful and illegal content.”
high expectations
“We have a duty to protect our children in the online world, just as we do in the offline world. And to do this effectively, we need a cohesive European approach,” von der Leyen said at Wednesday’s press conference. “And one of the central issues is the question: how can we ensure a technical solution for age verification that is valid across Europe? Today, I can announce that we have the answer.”
This answer takes the form of an open source app that any private company can reuse, as long as it complies with European privacy standards and provides the same technical solution across the EU. The user downloads the app, agrees to the terms and conditions, sets up a PIN or biometric access, and proves their age through an electronic identification system, or by showing a passport or ID card (in which case biometric verification is also provided). According to the European Commission, the app does not store your name, date of birth, ID number or any other personal information – only the fact that you are over a certain age.
Then, when someone using the app wants to access a social network (minimum age: 13), pornographic site (minimum age: 18), or any other age-protected content, if they are logged in from a computer, all they need to do is scan the QR code shown on the site they want to visit. On the other hand, if the person logs in from a smartphone, the app sends the proof of age directly. The platform does not access the document with which the user has proven it for the first time.
adoption event
The need to introduce a common system for the entire EU has been discussed for some time, and according to Commission technicians, the technical work is now complete. Of course, it would still be possible to circumvent the system – an adult would have to lend their phone to a young friend – but the technical architecture is in place, and it will be up to EU member states to integrate it into national digital wallets or develop independent apps.
“no more excuses”
For the app to be truly effective, the platform must be obliged to verify the age of its users – this is where things get tricky. The Digital Services Act, which comes into force in 2024, requires “very large online platforms” – those with more than 45 million monthly users in the EU – to take concrete steps to reduce systemic risks related to child protection, with heavy penalties for non-compliance.
“And that’s why Europe has the DSA: to call online platforms to their responsibilities. Because Europe will not tolerate platforms making money at the expense of our children,” European Commission Executive Vice President Hanna Virkkunen said at a press conference. He said that after investigating TikTok, European institutions are planning to take similar action against Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat as well as four porn sites. “Since there are not enough age verification tools on the platform, we developed the solution ourselves,” he concluded. In short, as von der Leyen also commented, “There are no excuses anymore.”
minimum
So far, it is the European framework that sets the common rules. On this basis, member countries may consider more restrictive measures. Italy was among the first to discuss how to control the use of social media by minors, but no concrete results have yet been reached. Elsewhere in the EU, France’s Emmanuel Macron has been leading the charge on the issue, pushing France to discuss a rule banning social networks altogether for minors under the age of 15. So far, the measure has received broad political support – but the outcome largely depends on compatibility with the Digital Services Act and the availability of effective age verification systems, such as the app recently released by the European Commission.
This article was originally published on wired italia And it has been translated.
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