Fact check: Has EU developed an app that verify people's age in order to access social media to restrict access to children

1. Summary of the results

The EU has indeed developed plans for an age verification system to protect minors accessing social media platforms. The European Commission is working on an age verification application with a pilot program set to launch by July 2025 ^{[1] [2]}. This system will enable users to confirm their age without revealing sensitive personal data to online platforms ^{[1] [3]}.

The initiative represents a unified age verification system across the 27-nation bloc ^[2] and is part of broader efforts to protect minors online. The European Commission has published draft guidelines that include measures to verify the age of users or set children's accounts as private by default ^[4].

Growing pressure from multiple EU member states is driving this development, with eleven countries signing a letter to the European Commission advocating for mandatory age verification for social media ^[5]. Several EU governments, including France, Spain, and Greece, are calling for stricter access rules for minors ^[6].

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

The original question frames this as simply "restricting access to children," but the sources reveal the primary goal is protection rather than outright restriction ^[2]. The EU approach focuses on creating safer online environments through age verification and privacy protections rather than blanket bans.

Some EU countries are pushing for more aggressive measures beyond the Commission's approach. France, Spain, and Greece are proposing a unified "age of digital adulthood" and mandatory age verification measures to supplement the existing Digital Services Act ^[6]. This suggests disagreement within the EU about how restrictive these measures should be.

The initiative comes amid broader international discussions about child safety online, with parallel developments in other regions. Apple has introduced "age assurance" technology for children's privacy and safety ^[7], and the US is conducting workshops on online privacy and age verification ^[8], indicating this is a global trend rather than an EU-specific initiative.

Technology companies and social media platforms would need to implement these verification systems, potentially creating new compliance costs and technical challenges. Meanwhile, privacy advocates and digital rights organizations might have concerns about the data collection implications, even though the EU system is designed to minimize personal data disclosure.

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

The original question contains no apparent misinformation - it accurately reflects that the EU is developing an age verification app for social media access to protect children. However, the framing as "restrict access to children" could be slightly misleading, as the sources indicate the focus is on protection and safety measures rather than blanket restrictions ^[2].

The question also omits the timeline context - this is not a completed system but rather a pilot program launching in July 2025 ^{[1] [2]}. Additionally, it doesn't capture the broader political context of multiple EU member states pushing for these measures following concerns about child safety online ^{[5] [6]}.