European Commission says new age verification app is ready to help protect children online

The European Commission says a new European age verification app designed to strengthen children’s safety online is technically ready and will be deployed soon, Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has announced. The tool is intended to help users prove their age when accessing online platforms and services, limiting children’s exposure to harmful or inappropriate content and supporting a more harmonised EU approach to online protection.

Von der Leyen warned that the online environment for children is ‘extremely worrying’, citing bullying and highly addictive platform design. She said ‘one child in six is bullied online’ and ‘one child in eight is bullying another child online’, and criticised features such as infinite scrolling, short-form videos and highly personalised, targeted content that can keep children on screens for longer.

The European Commission argues that increased time online raises the likelihood of children encountering harmful and illegal content and facing grooming by online predators, concerns it says have been repeatedly raised by parents and Member States.

The app is presented as a free, user-friendly solution that platforms can rely on. Users will download it, set it up with a passport or ID card, and then use it to confirm their age online, ‘just like shops ask for proof of age’ for alcohol purchases. The Commission says it meets high privacy standards by allowing people to prove their age without revealing other personal information.

Von der Leyen described it as anonymous, adding that users cannot be tracked. It is designed to work across devices (phone, tablet and computer) and is fully open source, so the code can be checked, and partner countries beyond the EU can adopt it.

Several Member States are already preparing to integrate the app into national digital identity wallets, with France, Denmark, Greece, Italy, Spain, Cyprus and Ireland cited as front-runners. Von der Leyen urged more countries and the private sector to follow, arguing that the availability of a trusted tool removes excuses for inaction, while the Commission steps up enforcement of the EU rules.

She said there would be ‘zero tolerance’ for companies that fail to respect children’s rights, stressing that children’s safety must come before commercial interests. Alongside the rollout, a special panel on children’s online safety is expected to deliver recommendations by summer.

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