EU age verification app ready as Europe moves to curb children's social media access

The EU's age verification app is ready and will require users to upload a passport or ID to confirm age anonymously; the Commission plans a coordination mechanism while member states are weighing minimum age limits for social media.

EU officials said the bloc's age verification app for online platforms is ready and is expected to be available soon. The app is designed to work on both mobile devices and computers and will ask users to upload a passport or ID card to confirm age anonymously. The announcement comes as a number of European countries weigh or enact minimum age limits for social media amid concerns about the health and safety of minors. The European Commission said it has been developing a harmonised verification system and intends to coordinate implementation across national schemes. Key points: - The European Commission president announced the app is ready and will be made available soon. - The app will require users to upload a passport or identity card to confirm age anonymously and will be compatible with mobile and desktop devices. - The Commission plans a European coordination mechanism to align age verification across national schemes, but no EU-wide binding law has been adopted yet. - The European Parliament approved a non-binding resolution in November calling for a minimum age of 16 for social media access across member states. Summary: Officials describe the app as a tool to reduce unintended exposure of children online and to increase accountability for platforms. Next steps include rolling out the app and establishing the Commission's coordination mechanism; the status of any EU-wide binding age limit is undetermined at this time.