Five European nations are teaming up to test a new age-verification app designed to protect children from harmful online content. France, Spain, Italy, Denmark, and Greece will pilot the new system, which is part of a broader push by the European Union to make the internet safer for minors.
The move comes amid growing global concern about the negative effects of social media on children’s mental health. The new app is built on the same technology as the upcoming European Digital Identity Wallet, a secure system set to roll out next year. This allows the five participating countries to create a reliable way to check a user’s age without compromising their privacy.
This test is a key step in enforcing the EU’s Digital Services Act (DSA). This landmark law requires major online platforms to take more responsibility for the content they host. Under the DSA, companies like Google, TikTok, and Meta (which owns Facebook and Instagram) must actively tackle illegal material and protect their users, especially children.
EU regulators are already putting pressure on Big Tech, with investigations underway into whether companies like TikTok, Meta, and Elon Musk’s X are doing enough to comply with the rules. The EU has also released new guidelines to help platforms deal with issues like addictive app designs, cyberbullying, and harmful content.
EU tech chief Henna Virkkunen made the bloc’s position clear, stating, “Platforms have no excuse to be continuing practices that put children at risk.”
The EU’s actions reflect a worldwide trend. In the United States, dozens of states are suing Meta over its platforms’ impact on young people. At the same time, Australia has gone as far as banning social media for children under 16.
