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EU Launches Age-Verification App Prototype as France Reinstates Porn Site Checks

The prototype app uses zero-knowledge proofs to confirm adult status without exposing personal data.

Overview

  • On July 14 the European Commission announced testing of the app in France, Denmark, Greece, Italy and Spain to block minors from harmful content online
  • The privacy-preserving system employs double-anonymity and zero-knowledge proof methods to verify users are over 18 without sharing exact age or identity
  • France’s Conseil d’État rejected a suspension request on July 15 and ordered EU-hosted adult sites to resume mandatory age checks, leading Aylo to block French access once again
  • Under the Digital Services Act Brussels investigators have opened probes into Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and four major porn platforms for inadequate child-protection measures
  • These measures build on France’s 2024 age-verification law and the EU’s DSA framework as part of a wider push to safeguard children online while respecting user privacy