After the UK, online age verification is landing in the EU 🕵🏻🇪🇺
> Five EU countries are set to test an age verification app to protect children online.
> Denmark, Greece, Spain, France, and Italy are the first to test the technical solution unveiled by the European Commission on July 14, 2025.
> The announcement came less than two weeks before the UK enforced mandatory age verification checks on July 25. These have so far sparked concerns about the privacy and security of British users, fueling a spike in usage amongst the best VPN apps.
> As the European Commission explains on its website, the age verification blueprint enables users to prove they are over 18 "without revealing any other personal information."
> "It is based on open-source technology and designed to be robust, user-friendly, privacy-preserving, and fully interoperable with future European Digital Identity Wallets," the Commission explains.
> The introduction of this technical solution is a key step in implementing children's online safety rules under the Digital Services Act (DSA).
> Lawmakers ensure that this solution seeks to set "a new benchmark for privacy protection" in age verification.
> That's because online services will only receive proof that the user is 18+, without any personal details attached.
> Further work on the integration of zero-knowledge proofs is also ongoing, with the full implementation of mandatory checks in the EU expected to be enforced in 2026.
...
https://www.techradar.com/computing/cyber-security/after-the-uk-online-age-verification-is-landing-in-the-eu
Official EU sites:
Joint press release: Commission presents guidelines and age verification app prototype for a safer online space for children
https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_25_1820
Commission makes available an age-verification blueprint
https://digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/en/news/commission-makes-available-age-verification-blueprint
"UK Online Safety Act takes effect today" (July 24th)
https://x.com/Pirat_Nation/status/1948488611428540718
> Users must verify identity with a third-party and scan their face to access adult content online.
> Proposed screen time limits require age verification for video games exceeding two hours.
> Non-compliance fines up to £18M or 10% revenue; sites may be blocked.
> Access to porn games, niche gaming forums, or non-state-approved content will be restricted.
> Platforms like PornHub, Discord, Reddit, and Grindr are compliant.
> Ofcom investigates 4chan, which may face Cloudflare block under court order.
> Aims to prevent kids from accessing harmful social media content like porn.
Related...
EU is planning a new mass surveillance law that includes mandating data retention, built-in backdoors, sanctioning non-compliant services 🕵🏻🇪🇺
https://similarworlds.com/society/privacy/5323496-EU-is-planning-a-new-mass-surveillance-law-that-includes
The EU wants to decrypt your private data by 2030
https://www.techradar.com/vpn/vpn-privacy-security/the-eu-wants-to-decrypt-your-private-data-by-2030
> Denmark, Greece, Spain, France, and Italy are the first to test the technical solution unveiled by the European Commission on July 14, 2025.
> The announcement came less than two weeks before the UK enforced mandatory age verification checks on July 25. These have so far sparked concerns about the privacy and security of British users, fueling a spike in usage amongst the best VPN apps.
> As the European Commission explains on its website, the age verification blueprint enables users to prove they are over 18 "without revealing any other personal information."
> "It is based on open-source technology and designed to be robust, user-friendly, privacy-preserving, and fully interoperable with future European Digital Identity Wallets," the Commission explains.
> The introduction of this technical solution is a key step in implementing children's online safety rules under the Digital Services Act (DSA).
> Lawmakers ensure that this solution seeks to set "a new benchmark for privacy protection" in age verification.
> That's because online services will only receive proof that the user is 18+, without any personal details attached.
> Further work on the integration of zero-knowledge proofs is also ongoing, with the full implementation of mandatory checks in the EU expected to be enforced in 2026.
...
https://www.techradar.com/computing/cyber-security/after-the-uk-online-age-verification-is-landing-in-the-eu
Official EU sites:
Joint press release: Commission presents guidelines and age verification app prototype for a safer online space for children
https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_25_1820
Commission makes available an age-verification blueprint
https://digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/en/news/commission-makes-available-age-verification-blueprint
"UK Online Safety Act takes effect today" (July 24th)
https://x.com/Pirat_Nation/status/1948488611428540718
> Users must verify identity with a third-party and scan their face to access adult content online.
> Proposed screen time limits require age verification for video games exceeding two hours.
> Non-compliance fines up to £18M or 10% revenue; sites may be blocked.
> Access to porn games, niche gaming forums, or non-state-approved content will be restricted.
> Platforms like PornHub, Discord, Reddit, and Grindr are compliant.
> Ofcom investigates 4chan, which may face Cloudflare block under court order.
> Aims to prevent kids from accessing harmful social media content like porn.
Related...
EU is planning a new mass surveillance law that includes mandating data retention, built-in backdoors, sanctioning non-compliant services 🕵🏻🇪🇺
https://similarworlds.com/society/privacy/5323496-EU-is-planning-a-new-mass-surveillance-law-that-includes
The EU wants to decrypt your private data by 2030
https://www.techradar.com/vpn/vpn-privacy-security/the-eu-wants-to-decrypt-your-private-data-by-2030
36-40, M
