EU says age verification tool ready to protect children online

BRUSSELS, 15th April, 2026 (WAM) — European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on Wednesday that the EU-developed age verification application for digital platforms is technically ready and will be rolled out soon, in a move aimed at limiting children’s access to social media.

Speaking at a press conference in Brussels alongside Henna Virkkunen, Eurpoean Commision Executive Vice-President for Tech Sovereignty, Security and Democracy, von der Leyen said the EU is moving quickly to enforce its digital rules and will hold platforms fully accountable.

She said the new tool would provide parents, teachers and caregivers with stronger means to protect children, adding that the EU would not tolerate companies that fail to respect children’s rights.

Virkkunen said the bloc would set up an EU-wide coordination mechanism to ensure age verification works across different national systems, as member states step up oversight of minors’ use of digital platforms.

The move forms part of broader EU efforts to strengthen online child protection and impose stricter obligations on major technology companies.