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Statement by Executive Vice-President Virkkunen with President von der Leyen on the digital age verification app
Protecting minors online is a top priority for both of us. I would like to continue with two specific points of the on-going work we are doing to succeed in this very important task.
First, our crucial enforcement work under the Digital Services Act.
Do you remember how this year has started?
With a platform allowing users to digitally undress women and create child sexual abuse material.
Our response was immediate.
This is why Europe has the DSA: to hold online platforms accountable.
Because Europe will not tolerate that platforms make money at the expense of our kids.
This year, we also took unprecedented action against TikTok for its addictive design:
- The infinite scroll, autoplay, constant notifications and highly personalised algorithms.
All of this with one sole objective: keeping our children glued to their screen.
The message is clear: In Europe, TikTok will have to change its fundamental design.
Because we refuse to compromise on our children's wellbeing.
We are taking similar action against Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat and Shein.
This year, we also took action against four pornographic platforms.
All on the same grounds: They simply do not have proper age verification tools in place to keep our children away from their adult content.
And this brings me to my second point: as platforms do not have proper age verification tools in place, we came up with the solution ourselves.
As just mentioned by the President, our European age verification app is technically ready as of today.
Let me briefly re-emphasise the privacy aspects of our app.
Our solution builds on zero-knowledge proof: this means that when users want to access an age-restricted service, you remain in full control of your data.
And this is extremely important. Because we do not want platforms to scan our passport or face.
The seven front-runner countries are showing how it can be done. Either as a free-standing app, or as part of the national digital wallet.
But we need to make sure that all the children in the EU are protected.
This is why, still this month, I will set up an EU-wide coordination mechanism.
We need a structured approach for EU accreditation of national solutions. And for Member States to ensure that age credentials can be issued easily and across the whole EU.
And above all to ensure that we continue to build one solution for the EU, not 27 different ones.
We are also open to business. Our blueprint is open source, and any private company is free to use the blueprint to develop innovative solutions.
We only have two conditions: respect the privacy standard. And make sure we have the same technical solution everywhere in the EU.
The coordination mechanism will help to deliver this important Digital Public Infrastructure in the EU. We will update you with more details very soon.
The internet must be a safe place for our kids. One where they can learn, grow and connect.
And we are deeply committed to making it a reality.