France, Spain, Italy, Denmark, and Greece are preparing to pilot a novel age verification system as part of the European Union’s effort to control children’s access to online content. This pilot initiative, revealed by the European Commission, is intended to conform to the technical standards of the anticipated European Digital Identity Wallet, which is projected to roll out across the EU next year.
The initiative is part of wider EU directives aimed at ensuring adherence to the Digital Services Act (DSA). The DSA’s two main goals are to foster a safer digital landscape that guards the fundamental rights of all users of digital services and to create a level playing field that spurs innovation, growth, and competitiveness within the European Single Market and globally.
To fulfill these objectives, the legislation places responsibility on 19 significant online platforms, such as Meta, TikTok, and X, for reducing children’s exposure to harmful content, tackling addictive design features, and mitigating cyberbullying.
Each nation participating in the age verification pilot will have the ability to tailor the age-checking mechanism to align with its national standards. This may involve integrating the mechanism into a current digital ID application or utilizing it as a standalone option. The primary goal is to offer a reliable and privacy-respecting approach to verifying a user’s age online, without revealing unnecessary personal details.
The EU’s initiative for age verification reflects a rising trend of similar regulations across the globe. In the United States, several states have passed laws requiring platforms to implement age gating or obtain secure parental consent for users under 18. Some states assign responsibility to the platforms, while others focus on app stores as the points of enforcement.
In reaction to these regulatory demands, Apple has launched new child safety features across its services, aiming to address concerns and possibly avert further regulation of the App Store. Despite these initiatives, the push for age verification laws continues to gain traction on both sides of the Atlantic and beyond.
