The EU will soon roll out an official online age verification app.

The EU has announced that it will soon roll out an official age verification app, ahead of enforcing protective measures for minors within its borders.

It is for parents to raise their children. Not platforms.

The European Age Verification App is ready ↓ https://t.co/EumEPEJOI7

— Ursula von der Leyen (@vonderleyen) April 15, 2026

Statement by EVP Virkkunen with President von der Leyen on the digital age verification app
https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/statement_26_820

EU Is Rolling Out an Online Age Verification App That Could Become the Global Blueprint
https://gizmodo.com/eu-is-rolling-out-an-online-age-verification-app-that-could-become-the-global-blueprint-2000746948

The EU is implementing measures to protect children under 16 online, but there is no established method for age verification, and verification has been left to each individual platform. Some EU countries have their own age verification apps, but there is no unified system across the EU, and standardization has become an urgent issue.

Therefore, the EU began developing its own age verification app that would be valid in all countries within the EU. This app integrates a technology called zero-knowledge proof , where the platform only provides information to prove whether the user is above a certain age, and no other personal information is transmitted. Another notable feature is that it is open source.

EU unveils prototype age verification app to protect children online, testing begins in France, Spain, Italy, Denmark, and Greece - GIGAZINE

On April 15, 2026, the EU announced that the aforementioned age verification app, which had been tested in some countries, was 'technically ready as of today.' They also stated that they plan to implement adjustments across the entire EU sometime in April.

According to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, Ireland, Spain, France, Cyprus, Denmark, Greece, and Italy are already planning to introduce the app.

Vice Chair Henna Wilkunen emphasized that corrective measures have been taken against multiple platforms, including TikTok and SHEIN , to protect children, stating, 'These measures are necessary because the platforms do not have age verification tools.' She continued, 'Therefore, we have devised our own solutions.'

The EU has long enacted the Digital Services Act (DSA) , which obligates platforms targeting the EU to address illegal content and protect minors. It already requires age verification on pornography sites, and has adopted a proposal to ban social media use by those under 16 by the end of 2025, preparing to require platforms to implement age verification.

European Parliament adopts proposal to set the minimum age for using social media uniformly at 16 - GIGAZINE

Greece has already introduced a law banning the use of social media by those under 15, which is scheduled to come into effect on January 1, 2027. Greece is calling for the adoption of a unified system within the EU.

Greece to ban social media access for those under 15 from 2027, and mandate age verification mechanisms on platforms - GIGAZINE

The age verification app that the EU plans to roll out will require either a Google or Apple account, and will only be usable on iOS devices or Google-approved Android devices. Some users criticize this, saying it goes against the current trend of EU countries switching to EU-made apps rather than American products, and that not recognizing independent operating systems like GrapheneOS is not truly open.