France and four other European countries will test an online age verification application

Denmark. Meanwhile, France, Greece, Italy and Spain will test an application allowing to prevent children from accessing dangerous content.

Five European countries. In addition, including France, will test an application to check the age of online users and prevent children from accessing dangerous content, the European Commission announced on Monday.

Denmark. Consequently, France, Greece, Italy and Spain will then adapt the application – on the basis of a prototype developed for the EU – in order to launch personalized national versions in a few months, said the European executive.

“This device will allow users to easily prove that they are over 18 years old. However, which will protect children from inappropriate content,” said Henna Virkkunen, European commissioner responsible for technological issues.

Very concretely. Furthermore, it is a European prototype that each Member State can adjust according to its own rules: for example depending on a ban is in france four other european countries force on the Internet for children aged 12, 13 or 15, etc. Similarly, The first five countries to take the plunge are France, Denmark, Greece, Italy and Spain.

This proposal was particularly pushed by France. the minister in charge of digital, Clara Chappaz, defending an age verification “at European level” to access social networks.

In early June. French President Emmanuel Macron is committed to prohibiting social networks under 15 in France if, “in a few months”, this was not done at European level.

In a tweet this Monday. the President of the Republic welcomes that “the European Commission (Vienne) confirmed the possibility for the member states to prohibit social networks under a certain age. It is a victory for the protection of our children. We have been working there for years. I have been committed to it: France will be there!”

“Plus d’excuse” – France four other european countries

The European Union has one of the most strict legislative france four other european countries arsenal in the world to supervise digital giants. But the calls to go further are multiplying among the twenty-seven. while studies demonstrate the negative effects of social networks on mental and physical health of young people.

On Monday. the European Commission also published recommendations for social networks for young people, to allow for example minors to block users more easily.

These measures also include the deletion of potentially addictive features such as the “nicks”. which indicate that a message has been read and can push an answer frantically. “It is essential to ensure that our children and young people are safe online,” said Commissioner Henna Virkkunen. “Platforms have no excuse for pursuing practices that endanger children,” she said.

Brussels is currently conducting surveys on Facebook. Instagram social networks of the American group Meta, as well as on Tiktok, as part of its new Digital Services Regulations (DSA). These platforms are suspected of not france four other european countries sufficiently protecting children from harmful content.

At the end of May. the Commission also opened an investigation into four pornographic sites (pornhub, stripchat, xnxx, and xvideos) suspected of not preventing children’s access to adult content.