Are you over 18? The EU’s plans to spot underage internet users

This month has seen France issue new guidelines on online age verification and ban various porn sites, and in recent days the European Commissioner designate responsible has labelled protecting minors “a top priority”, but with age verification racing up the agenda, the European Commission is planning to address the issue with a wallet scheduled to come online in 2026.

The 27 EU member states are currently free to set their own rules for age verification and there are no EU standards. 

Those who wish to access adult websites in Spain will soon need to use the Cartera Digital Beta wallet, an app recording national ID credentials, to prove they are at least 18 years old and gain access. The system, designed with a strong emphasis on data privacy, will initially apply only to websites based in Spain but aims to expand to social media platforms displaying adult content based outside the country. 

Similarly, from 2025 the so-called ‘Caivano Decree’ will require Italians to use national digital identity system SPID to verify their age when visiting pornographic and gambling websites. 

In France, where age verification currently amounts to a self-declaration, either that “Yes, I am over 18” or “No, I am under 18”, discussions are underway to add more controls.

In October, French Regulatory Authority for Audiovisual and Digital Communication (ARCOM) issued new guidelines designed to protect children online while ensuring privacy. These included improved detection of adult websites by parental control software and use of AI to estimate user age based on facial recognition.

Platforms currently allowed to use credit card information for age verification have until April 2025 to comply with the new guidelines. For betting sites, proof of residence and a copy of an ID are required. Recently, foreign porn websites were blocked in France for failing to meet minimum age-check requirements.  

Meanwhile, in Ireland, the Protection of Children (Online Age Verification) Bill 2024 is currently under discussion in the Seanad Éireann (Parliament). If passed, it will require websites and apps providing adult content to demand documents proving users’ ages, with the law determining which documents will be accepted. 

Some apps have taken steps beyond what is legally required worldwide. OnlyFans, a subscription-based social media mostly hosting erotic content, insists that users provide more than nine items of identification before they can post content.  

Streamlining Age Verification Systems

Various EU regulations foresee improved age verification to protect minors. Entering fully into force next February, the Digital Services Act (DSA) and Audiovisual Media Services Directive (AVMSD) both require platforms to shield minors from harmful content, while the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) protects children’s data. The proposed Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM) regulation, currently under debate in the Council of the EU, also relies heavily on identifying minors online to shield them from predators. 

In the so-called Louvain Declaration of April 2024, EU leaders pledging amongst other things to find solutions and standards across EU member states for identity and age verification. 

An EU official told journalists earlier this month that plans for an EU Digital Wallet are also designed to protect children online. “To have an appropriate age verification system in Europe that is harmonised, and to avoid 27 different systems in the member states, the future solution should revolve around the EU Digital Wallet,” the official said.

The wallet app is supposed to securely store ID along with driving licences, credit cards and other such documents, enabling users to confirm their exact age or prove they’re within a specific age range. “It will not be mandatory, but like the COVID Certificate, it will likely become a standard,” the official said. “Very Large Online Platforms (VLOPs) are required to accept the use of eID upon request of the user, for example to prove their age. Websites with age restricted content that are not VLOPs could be encouraged to accept the use of the European Digital Identity Wallet,” a Commission spokesperson told Euronews.

The Digital Wallet is not expected to be implemented until the end of 2026, so the Commission is “currently exploring mid-term solutions,” according to the official, and the executive recently issued a €4m budget call for tender to develop an EU-wide age verification system.