BRUSSELS, April 15 - A European Union age verification application designed to limit underage access to social media is ready and will be rolled out shortly, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on Wednesday. The announcement comes as a number of European countries pursue legislative measures aimed at restricting children’s social media use.
Speaking at a Brussels press conference, von der Leyen framed the app as a practical enforcement instrument for the bloc's online protections for minors. She said the program is compatible with both mobile devices and computers and requires users to upload an identity document - either a passport or ID card - to establish their age anonymously.
"We are moving ahead with full speed and determination on the enforcement of our European rules. We are holding accountable those online platforms that do not protect our kids enough," von der Leyen said. She added that the tool will be useful to those responsible for children: "This app gives parents, teachers, caretakers a powerful tool to protect children, because we will have zero tolerance for companies that do not respect our children’s rights."
At the same event, Henna Virkkunen, the EU's digital chief, said the Commission plans to create a European coordination mechanism to ensure the age verification approach is applied across various national schemes. The Commission has been working on a harmonised digital verification system since last year, according to officials.
The move follows a wave of interest from national governments. At least a dozen European countries - including non-EU states such as Britain and Norway - have either enacted rules or are considering legislation that would set minimum ages for social media use, typically between 13 and 16 years. The issue has gained momentum after Australia implemented a high-profile social media ban for children last year.
Officials acknowledged technical and enforcement challenges. Controlling minors' access to restricted online content presents difficult technical questions and behavioural responses. Australia, for instance, experienced a substantial rise in downloads of virtual private networks after it introduced its social media restrictions, as users sought ways to circumvent the ban.
A senior Commission official noted the EU age verification system can similarly be bypassed by using a VPN, but emphasised the app is not intended as a tool for policing online behaviour. "The app is the kind of barrier that avoids unintended exposure of kids," the official said, highlighting the measure's protective focus rather than an absolute prevention of all circumvention.
There is not yet an EU-wide binding law on minimum ages for social media. In November, the European Parliament approved a resolution report calling for a 16-year minimum age for access to social media across member states. A final determination on whether to pursue bloc-level legislation will follow the recommendations of a special panel on child safety online, due to file its findings this summer, the senior Commission official said.
Context and next steps
The app's immediate availability signals a shift toward operational tools to support national rules and potential EU-wide measures. Officials emphasise coordination between member states and technical work on verification methods will continue in the months ahead. A final policy decision on binding EU legislation waits on the special panel's recommendations.