WASHINGTON—Following the European Commission’s announcement that it will soon launch an age verification app for its citizens to prove their age online, the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation (ITIF), the leading think tank for science and technology policy, issued the following statement from Senior Policy Manager Ash Johnson:
The European Commission’s forthcoming age verification app is an innovative approach to online age assurance, but a worrying signal of what is to come. If the app delivers on its promises, it could serve as a constructive and pragmatic way for online platforms to deliver age-gated services while preserving users’ anonymity. By incorporating privacy protections, the app has the potential to better balance safety and privacy. However, this initiative signals a concerning policy trajectory for Europe.
With several European countries already pursuing social media bans for children, the Commission’s age verification app seems likely to become the foundation for an EU-wide ban. While protecting minors online is an important goal, overly restrictive measures, such as bans, undermine young people’s rights to access information and participate in digital spaces. Moreover, by pursuing an open-source solution, the EU invites other governments to adopt its approach, which could serve as a vehicle for exporting overly restrictive rules to other countries, amplifying the Brussels effect.
The EU should ensure that its experimentation with age assurance remains evidence-based and proportionate and does not become a precursor to sweeping limitations that would harm the very users it seeks to protect.
Contact: Nicole Hinojosa, [email protected]
