The European Commission announced a sweeping proposal to ban children under 13 from accessing social‑media platforms, requiring parental‑supervised accounts until age 15. To enforce the rule, Brussels has built a free, open‑source age‑verification app that tells a platform only whether a user meets the age threshold, without revealing any identity information.
How the app works
A user proves their age once to a nationally designated issuer – which may be a digital‑ID provider, a bank or a post office vetted by the member state. When the user visits a restricted site, the app supplies a simple “yes” or “no” answer to the platform, confirming the user is above the required age. The proof is single‑use, preventing cross‑service tracking, and no identity documents or biometric data are stored.
EU‑wide rollout
The app was first presented in April 2026 and is being piloted in seven member states: Cyprus, Denmark, France, Greece, Ireland, Italy and Spain. The Commission expects the tool to be available across the EU by the end of 2026, covering roughly 450 million people in 27 countries – the world’s largest social‑media access restriction.
Legal and financial implications
Non‑compliance with the new “Kids Act” would fall under Digital Services Act enforcement, where penalties can reach up to 6 % of a company’s global turnover. The code and standards are written by the Commission, but the system itself is decentralized; member states run it through issuers they designate, and the proofs remain on the user’s phone. There is no central EU database of ages or verification records.
Comparison with Australia
Australia’s recent law set a minimum age of 16 but left verification methods to platforms, resulting in a “shadow trial” where none of 50 test accounts received an age‑check request. The EU’s approach, by contrast, provides a common, government‑backed mechanism that eliminates excuses for platforms that previously relied on commercial vendors.
Next steps
The proposal now heads to EU member states and the European Parliament for approval. Greece, already moving toward an under‑15 ban, expects “clear convergence” with the EU plan, while Spain’s under‑16 ban awaits a parliamentary vote. In France, the Constitutional Council recently blocked a national under‑15 ban, citing concerns over freedom of expression, underscoring that national courts will continue to shape implementation.
Commission President Ursula von der Leyen emphasized that the app allows platforms to comply easily, removing “excuses” for failing to protect children online.
Original reporting: Appleton, WI News Feed (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
