The European Union has unveiled a prototype age verification app in a major push to improve online child safety across the bloc.
Piloted in Denmark, Greece, Spain, France, and Italy, the initiative aims to help online platforms meet new expectations under the Digital Services Act (DSA), which requires better protection for minors using digital services.
The app was launched alongside official guidelines urging platforms to adopt stronger safeguards for young users. “Making sure our children and young people are safe online is of paramount importance to this Commission,” said EU tech policy leader Henna Virkkunen. “Platforms have no excuse to be continuing practices that put children at risk.”
Designed to allow users to prove they are over 18 without sharing personal details, the app ensures privacy by keeping users’ identities and browsing habits confidential. It provides a ready-made tool that platforms can use to comply with EU rules, potentially avoiding the need to develop their own systems.
The pilot version of the app will be refined with input from member states, tech companies, and users. National rollouts are planned in the five test countries, with the app acting as a stopgap until the EU’s more advanced Digital Identity Wallet launches in 2026. That wallet is expected to securely store ID information and allow citizens to access digital services across Europe.
Although the DSA doesn’t mandate specific verification methods, it obligates platforms to protect the well-being of minors. The new guidance stresses limiting exposure to harmful content, cyberbullying, addictive features, and inappropriate interactions online.
In a related effort, the EU is currently investigating major adult websites — including Pornhub, Stripchat, XNXX, and XVideos — over their lack of effective age checks. These platforms may soon be required to adopt the new app to remain in compliance.
If this article helped you, please consider supporting our work. Every small contribution keeps Abijita.com independent and running.
The move reflects growing concern among regulators and parents over the ease with which children can access unsafe or explicit online content — and marks one of the EU’s most concrete steps yet to rein in platforms that fail to protect their youngest users.
