The smartphone application lets users prove they are over a site’s minimum age—typically 13 or 16—without sharing personal data directly with each platform.
Brussels says the system will shield children from harmful content while sparing companies the cost of bespoke checks. Use of the app will be voluntary, but those who skip it may find their accounts blocked or features restricted.
Digital-ID wallet to follow
The scheme is a stop-gap before the launch next year of an EU-wide digital identity wallet, a broader tool that will store driving licenses, health cards and digital signatures.
Under legislation adopted in March, every EU citizen must be offered the wallet by the end of 2026.
Beyond porn and gambling
Age verification will apply not only to pornographic or gambling sites but also to mainstream networks that already impose minimum-age rules: 13 for Facebook, Instagram and TikTok; 16 for LinkedIn.
EU officials say the measure forms part of a wider crackdown on online harms under the Digital Services Act, which obliges tech firms to assess and mitigate risks to minors.
(jh)
Source: Polskie Radio 24