The European Commission unveiled new technology this week designed to power smartphone apps that verify users’ age online, part of an effort to make the internet safer for children by limiting access to pornography sites, social media accounts, and online alcohol purchases. Experts remain divided on whether the system will work effectively in practice.
The technology is intended to prevent users from falsely claiming they are old enough to access restricted content or services. Instead of relying on self-declared ages, new apps using the EU system are expected to be developed, with the first countries planning to roll them out later this year.
Under the system, users would scan a passport or national ID card within an app to confirm their age. Once verified, they would be able to access websites with minimum age requirements. The app is designed to confirm only that a user meets the age threshold, without revealing their identity.
Jaap-Henk Hoepman, a senior lecturer in digital security at Radboud University, said the approach effectively makes age verification universal, noting that “in practice, everyone will have to prove they are old enough when visiting such a website.”
However, shortly after the system was presented, the European Commission updated the app following reports that it could be hacked. The app’s code had been made publicly available on GitHub, where developers reportedly found that it was possible to bypass the verification system and fake being an adult.
Apparently, Tumblr thinks this is mature content, and have ignored my appeal. That's fucked up, @staff.
