Source: European Parliament
Question for written answer E-001010/2025
to the Commission
Rule 144
Miriam Lexmann (PPE)
The Digital Services Act (DSA) sets out clear risk-based obligations to protect minors online. However, there is currently no clarity on when and where age verification (AV) should be used. App stores and operating systems are uniquely positioned to provide a unified, privacy-preserving, secure and efficient solution by verifying users’ ages at device or app store level and sharing an assured age signal with third-party apps. Such a system would prevent repetitive age checks, restrict underage users from accessing inappropriate content and better align with the requirements of the DSA and the Digital Markets Act.
In this context:
- 1.Has the Commission thought about supporting app store or device level AV solutions, such as those that exist in other jurisdictions such as Singapore and the US states of South Dakota and Utah?
- 2.Will the Commission acknowledge in the upcoming guidelines on Article 28 of the DSA that app stores, as gateways to multiple services, pose a higher level of risk compared to the potential risks posed by individual apps, and that AV at this level might be necessary to mitigate that risk?
- 3.Will the Commission acknowledge in the upcoming guidelines on Article 28 of the DSA that app stores, as very large online platforms and gatekeepers, have a special responsibility in the value chain to protect minors online?
Submitted: 7.3.2025