Online platforms may want to verify a user’s age because of adult content, gambling, alcohol sales, or age-based social media rules. But answering “Are you over 18?” is not the same as handing a company your name, date of birth, and a copy of your identity document. A well-designed system shares only the necessary result, such as confirmation that the user is “above the specified age threshold.” A poorly designed process collects more data than needed, retains it for a long time, or can link activity across different websites.
The European Commission says it made the age-verification approach published in 2025 ready for use in 2026 and that the solution was developed in alignment with the technical specifications of the European Digital Identity Wallet. The main objective is to let users prove that they exceed a particular age threshold without disclosing their full date of birth or identity to the other party. Although this approach provides important direction, implementation in each country, supported devices, and platforms’ data-processing conditions still need to be assessed separately.
Distinguish between the methods
The simplest method is for users to enter their own date of birth. Its privacy cost appears low, but because false information can easily be entered, it is not considered strong verification. Checking a payment card is not definitive proof of age either: The card may belong to a family member, and the transaction may create a new data link between a financial identity and the service being visited.
Uploading an identity document can provide stronger verification, but it may also give the service unnecessary information such as a name, photograph, document number, date of birth, and nationality. Do not continue until you know whether the document is sent directly to the platform or to an independent verification provider, how long the image is retained, and whether biometric processing is performed.
Facial age estimation aims to determine an approximate age range without requiring an identity document. It does not produce an exact date of birth and can make mistakes because of lighting, camera quality, facial characteristics, or the model being used. The provider should clearly state whether the image is processed only on the device or transferred to a server, whether it is made available for human review, and whether it is retained for model development. If the estimate is rejected, an accessible and fair appeal process should be available.
With anonymous or selectively disclosed proof of age, a trusted organization verifies the age information and only a digital proof that the threshold has been exceeded is presented to the website. Ideally, the website does not learn the user’s real name, date of birth, or document number. The word “anonymous” alone is not enough, however. Check whether the proof contains a persistent identifier that could track the same user across visits and whether the verification provider can see which website is being accessed.
Seven questions to ask on the verification screen
First, read which data is mandatory. If a complete copy of an identity document is requested to prove an age threshold, investigate whether an official option requiring less data is available. Second, identify the data recipient: The platform, identity-verification company, and infrastructure provider may be separate organizations.
The third question concerns retention. Instead of vague wording such as “as long as necessary,” look for information about whether the image is deleted after processing and how long the transaction record is kept. Fourth, check how biometrics are used. Processing a facial image solely for a liveness check is not the same as creating a permanent facial template.
The fifth question is linkability: Could the same verification result become part of a shared user profile across different websites? Sixth, find the appeal and deletion channels. Finally, review how users will be informed of a security incident and examine the provider’s security policy.
Steps for safer use
Do not open a verification link by tapping an advertisement in an email or message. Enter the platform’s address yourself or use its official app. Check the domain name, confirm that the connection is encrypted, and verify the developer’s name in the app store. If an image of an identity document is required, do not digitally alter the document unless the platform explicitly permits it; instead, ask support which fields are genuinely necessary.
After the process is complete, visit the account privacy panel. Confirm that the date of birth is not visible to other users, has not been added to advertising personalization, and that any unnecessary document copy can be removed. Keep emails from the verification provider, but do not send an identity photograph or one-time verification code by email.
When parents complete the process for a child, they should consider the consequences of permanently linking their own identity to the child’s account. Age assurance does not replace family discussions, content settings, or platform safety tools. No method is perfect, either: Strong protection for children must be balanced with adults’ anonymous access to information and data security for everyone.
Research sources
- European Commission, EU age-verification approach: https://digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/en/policies/eu-age-verification
- European Commission, recommendation on EU-wide age-verification technologies: https://digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/en/library/commission-sets-out-common-approach-eu-wide-age-verification-technologies
- EUR-Lex, Commission Recommendation (EU) 2026/1035: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:32026H1035