Online Age Verification, Ursula von der Leyen: The European Union's App is Ready

The EU wants to simplify online age verification to protect minors and ensure a safer internet access. The President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, announced in recent hours that the new age verification app is ready for use.

An App for Age Verification

This will allow the transition from the design phase to the operational phase and improve verification systems for access to web services, ensuring less exposure for minors to illegal content and social network risks. Von der Leyen emphasized: "It is our duty to protect our children in the online world, just as we do in the offline world. And to do this effectively, we need a harmonized European approach."

The usage mechanism will be very simple. The app will need to be downloaded, installed, and then configured with an ID document (passport or ID card). Once the initial steps are completed, the application will be immediately usable and will ensure access to online services. The app will only be usable on Android devices with Google services and iPhone.

Our app ticks all the boxes.
✅ Highest privacy standards in the world
✅ Works on any device
✅ Easy to use
✅ Fully open source
pic.twitter.com/EUqHlA3ts0
-- Ursula von der Leyen (@vonderleyen)
April 15, 2026

The choice to base the application on open-source code responds to the intention to ensure maximum transparency and promote the adoption of the standard even in non-EU contexts. After the prototype's debut in July 2025, the pilot phase initially involved Italy, France, Spain, Greece, and Denmark, later extending to Cyprus and Ireland. "I hope that other member states and the private sector will follow suit so that every citizen can soon use this app," von der Leyen added.

Now a Stop to Social Media for Younger Users?

The next step for the European Commission could be the introduction of a shared regulatory framework regarding access to social media by younger users. The goal is to find the right system to protect the young ones with a possible introduction of a minimum age limit for social media use. This issue will be analyzed by the member states and, as clarified by the President of the Commission, will be evaluated by a panel of experts.