Members of the European Parliament have thrown their weight behind a tougher age bar for social platforms and AI companions, backing a non-binding report that calls for a default minimum age of 16 to use social media, video-sharing services and AI chat apps. Under the text adopted in plenary, 13- to 16-year-olds would only be able to access such services with parental consent.
The resolution, which passed by a wide margin, reflects growing concern about how always-on digital experiences affect children’s mental and physical health. Lawmakers highlight evidence of "problematic" smartphone use among a sizeable share of minors and argue that stronger controls are needed to rein in highly engaging feeds and game mechanics.
From an identity and trust perspective, the report explicitly backs the European Commission’s work on an EU-wide age-verification application and the European Digital Identity (eID) wallet. Together, those tools are framed as a way to deliver age checks that are accurate and privacy-preserving, with minimal data collection, while still keeping platforms on the hook for safe, age-appropriate design.
MEPs also urge a clampdown on engagement-optimised algorithms and commercial tactics aimed at children, calling for bans on loot boxes and engagement-based recommender systems for minors, tougher enforcement of the Digital Services Act and, in serious repeat cases, potential personal liability for senior executives. They warn that emerging AI-powered features, from deepfakes to virtual companions and nudity apps, pose additional risks that regulators will need to address.
For vendors in the mobile identity, wallet and age-assurance space, the non-legislative vote is another signal that age verification is shifting from pure content moderation to a regulated identity-tech use case in its own right. With eID wallets and age tokens moving from pilot to production across Europe, providers will be expected to support flows that work across devices and platforms without exposing unnecessary personal data.
The EU is already running age verification pilots in five member states, while Google and Germany’s Sparkassen group have launched a national Google Wallet-based age verification scheme and Greece has rolled out a Kids Wallet app. In parallel, UK platforms are testing age checks ahead of enforcement under the country’s Online Safety Act.
Sources: European Parliament, European Parliament (OEIL)
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By the ID Tech Editorial Team
