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EU Commission Announces Readiness of Online Age Verification Platform
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen stated that the EU's online age verification platform is ready for implementation. The platform, modeled after the EU's COVID certificate app, requires users to prove their age via an app linked to identification documents. Several EU member states are set to adopt it first, with claims of high privacy standards and cross-device compatibility.
Apr 18, 7:00 AM·1m read1 source
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European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen stated on Wednesday that the platform is prepared for rollout. She described it as a tool to help parents protect their children online, similar to age checks for purchasing alcohol in supermarkets.
The platform follows the model of the EU's COVID certificate app, which von der Leyen said was developed in three months and helped resume normal activities safely.
Users download the app, set it up with a passport or ID card, and prove their age to access online services. Von der Leyen stated that the platform is user-friendly, respects high privacy standards, and works on phones, tablets, and computers. Components of the system, including app building blocks, protocols, and zero-knowledge technology, are available as open source on GitHub for adoption by member states or others.
Scope France, Denmark, Italy, Spain, Greece, Cyprus, and Ireland are the initial adopters of the platform.
The system requires proof of age from users of all ages to access certain platforms, with national governments providing the apps integrated into digital wallets. German digital activist Michael Ballweg stated that while key components are open source, the finished national apps and background data flows are not fully transparent.
The announcement references past digital systems, such as the EU's COVID certificate, which von der Leyen described as successful.
The platform is part of the EU's Digital Decade target for 80% of citizens to use a digital ID solution by 2030. Discussions around similar systems, like India's Aadhaar, highlight challenges in preventing fraud. 0 is described as voluntary and free, though adoption may become necessary for accessing certain online services.
