5 EU nations trial age-verification app amid child safety push
What's the story
The European Commission has announced that France, Spain, Italy, Denmark, and Greece will trial a new age verification app. The move comes amid rising global concerns about social media's impact on children's mental health. The app is based on the same technical specifications as the European Digital Identity Wallet, which will be launched next year.
App features
Guidelines for online platforms
The five countries involved in the trial can customize the age verification app according to their needs. They can either integrate it into a national app or keep it separate. The European Commission has also released guidelines for online platforms, directing them to take measures to protect minors as part of their compliance with the bloc's Digital Services Act (DSA).
Legislation requirements
DSA came into effect last year
The DSA, which came into effect last year, mandates tech giants like Google's parent company Alphabet, Meta Platforms, and ByteDance's TikTok to do more in combating illegal and harmful online content. The new guidelines are aimed at helping these platforms deal with issues such as addictive design, cyberbullying, harmful content, and unwanted contact from strangers.
Ongoing investigations
Several platforms under investigation
Several online platforms, including Elon Musk's X, TikTok, Meta's Facebook, and Instagram, are under investigation by EU regulators for their compliance with the DSA. The new guidelines from the European Commission are intended to help these platforms tackle issues that put children at risk. "Platforms have no excuse to be continuing practices that put children at risk," said EU tech chief Henna Virkkunen.