EU states to test age-check app to limit children's access to online services
Several European nations have ramped up pressure on the bloc to better protect minors online through more stringent measures, with some going as far as to advocate banning social media for under-15s.
On Monday, the commission unveiled the prototype of an age-verification app that Denmark, France, Greece, Italy and Spain will customize to launch national versions within several months.
"It will allow users to easily prove they are over 18 years old, protecting children from inappropriate content," EU technology chief Henna Virkkunen told reporters.
"It's hard to imagine a world where kids can enter a store to buy alcohol, to go to a nightclub by simply stating that they are old enough, no bouncers, no ID checks, just a simple 'Yes, I am over the age of 18'" Danish digital minister Caroline Stage Olsen said.
"That has been the case online for many years," she added alongside Virkkunen, saying the new app would help ensure there were "no more nightclubs without bouncers."
The aim is for each member state to develop their own app since they have different rules and may wish to tailor age limits for different services — ranging from porn or gambling sites, to social platforms like Instagram or TikTok.
For example, France has set a minimum age of 15 to use social media, greater than the 13 set by the platforms themselves — though it is still waiting for an EU green light for those rules to come into force.
The 27-country European Union has some of the world's strictest digital rules to bring Big Tech to heel, with several investigations ongoing into how platforms protect children — or fail to do so.
Once the app is available, users would be able to download it from an online store and then use it to verify that they are above the age threshold for accessing a website or platform.
But the commission said it will be "further customized" by EU states alongside platforms and users themselves.
Stage Olsen said the app could also be used in the real world, for example, customers could use it to prove their age while buying alcohol or cigarettes.
Among the bloc's existing legal weaponry is the content moderation law known as the Digital Services Act (DSA), which has strict rules to safeguard children.
On Monday, the EU also published recommendations under the DSA to online platforms to ensure the safety of children and prevent their exposure to dangerous behavior.
These include removing "addictive" features such as "read receipts" which tell users when an individual has seen their message, making it easier for minors to block or mute users and preventing accounts from downloading or taking screenshots of content.
The EU also recommended platforms turn off notifications by default, especially during sleeping hours, limit apps' access to photos or turn off the camera by default.
Backed by France and Spain, Greece pushed a proposal in June for how the EU should restrict children's use of online platforms.
Politicians are increasingly worried about online risks as rising evidence shows social media and excessive smartphone pose risks to minors' mental and physical health.
Denmark, which took charge of the rotating six-month EU presidency in July, has indicated the issue is a key priority and will push the bloc to take further action.
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