• Five EU countries, including France, will pilot an age verification app for child online protection.
• The app aims to improve safety by verifying users' ages without revealing personal information.
• New guidelines have been issued under the Digital Services Act to safeguard minors from online risks.
• The initiative is part of a broader effort to address mental health concerns linked to social media.
• Each participating nation can customize the app according to its specific regulations.

The European Commission has revealed a prototype age verification app to be tested in five EU countries—France, Spain, Italy, Denmark, and Greece. This initiative is designed to better protect children from harmful online content and comes amid rising concerns regarding social media's impact on minors' mental health, according to Le Monde and Anadolu Agency.

This app will allow users to verify their age without disclosing personal details such as birth dates or identities, thereby promoting privacy while ensuring safety online. The rollout is part of the EU's Digital Services Act (DSA), which mandates online platforms to take action against harmful content, including measures to protect children from cyberbullying and addictive designs, as outlined by India Times and Le Monde.

The collaborative nature of this project means each country can adapt the app according to its regulations, further integrating it with national platforms as needed. The age verification app will initially focus on high-risk services while alleviating the growing apprehensions about children's exposure to unsuitable online experiences, according to Anadolu Agency and India Times.

Addressing these issues is a priority for the EU as it seeks to implement the DSA provisions effectively. EU officials view this initiative as critical in safeguarding children's rights and ensuring they can navigate the online world responsibly, highlighting the necessity of privacy-aware tools, according to Anadolu Agency and India Times.