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EU age verification: the app and the EU KIDS Act

The EU's age verification app was ready on 15 April 2026, for member states to roll out by the end of 2026.1 The EU KIDS Act, proposed on 17 September 2026, would set 15 as the age for an account of your own.2

Checked 28 October 2026 against the sources.

The EU age verification app

The Commission's solution lets a user prove they are over 18 without sharing other personal information, and can be adapted to other ages such as 13 or over.1

  1. The Commission publishes a blueprint for an age verification solution.1
  2. The solution is feature ready. Member states and companies can now customise it, for example by translating it, but cannot change its privacy features.1
  3. A Commission recommendation sets out steps for member states to roll out age verification by then. The solution is built to work with the EU Digital Identity Wallets due in every member state by the end of 2026.1

The Commission also plans an EU Age Verification Scheme with lists of trusted proof-of-age providers and solutions.1

Enforcement under the Digital Services Act

The Commission is already using the Digital Services Act against platforms that, in its preliminary view, do not keep minors out. Neither finding below is a final decision.3, 4

DatePlatformsPreliminary finding
26 Mar 2026Pornhub, Stripchat, XNXX and XVideosMinors can get in with one click confirming they are over 18. The Commission says self-declaration is not effective, nor are blurring, warnings or "Restricted to adults" labels, and that the four need privacy-preserving age verification.3
29 Apr 2026Instagram and Facebook (Meta)Children under 13 can enter a false birth date, with no effective check of the self-declared date.4
 As of 28 October 2026. If confirmed, a non-compliance decision can bring a fine of up to 6% of worldwide annual turnover.3

The proposed EU KIDS Act

A proposal, not yet law: it has gone to the European Parliament and the Council, which must examine and adopt it.2 On 2 October 2026 the Commission asked for public feedback.1

AgeWhat the proposal would allow
Under 13No social media. Children from 3 can use child-friendly video services through an account their guardian manages, for up to one hour a day.2
13 and 14Mini accounts that a guardian sets up, reached through the guardian's account, with limited contacts and up to one hour a day.2
15 and overAn account of their own. Services used by under-18s would have to drop addictive features and profiling-based feeds, and keep minors' profiles private by default.2
 From the Commission's press release of 17 September 2026. The text can change before adoption.

How ages would be checked

Online services and app stores would have to use age assurance tools, and could use the EU app. Social media and video sharing platforms would verify age when a new account is opened.2

Existing accounts

For accounts that already exist, providers would estimate the user's age from reasonable proxies, such as the account's creation date or credit card details.2

This page describes laws and proposals. It is not legal advice.

Questions people ask

Is the EU KIDS Act law yet?

No. The Commission adopted the proposal on 17 September 2026 and sent it to the European Parliament and the Council.2

What does the EU age verification app share?

The Commission says it lets you prove you are over 18 without sharing any other personal information.1 Its KIDS Act release says the app does not retain identity documents or biometric data.2

Is ticking "I am over 18" enough in the EU?

Not in the Commission's preliminary view: in its findings against four porn platforms it said self-declaration is not an effective measure.3

Sources 4
  1. EU age verification (last updated 22 September 2026), European Commission. Read 28 October 2026.
  2. EU KIDS Act to restrict social media platforms' access to children in the EU, 17 September 2026, European Commission. Read 28 October 2026.
  3. Commission preliminarily finds Pornhub, Stripchat, XNXX and XVideos in breach of the Digital Services Act, 26 March 2026, European Commission. Read 28 October 2026.
  4. Commission preliminarily finds Meta in breach of the Digital Services Act for failing to prevent minors under 13 from using Instagram and Facebook, 29 April 2026, European Commission. Read 28 October 2026.

Every fact here comes from the European Commission, checked again and dated. How we check