The European Commission has selected Spain to participate in a groundbreaking pilot project aimed at developing a European age verification tool. This initiative is designed to protect minors from accessing adult content, such as pornography, on the Internet. Sources from the Ministry of Digital Transformation and the Public Service confirm that the application, known as the Beta Digital Wallet, has been in development for over a year and a half and is now complete. The last step before its public launch is obtaining security certification from the National Cryptological Center.
The primary goal of this EU pilot project is to ensure that the age verification technology adheres to the privacy and technical standards set by Brussels. In addition to Spain, the Commission has also selected applications from France, Greece, Denmark, and Italy to participate. Projects that meet the criteria will be able to share their technical details with other Member States seeking to create tailored tools for their respective needs.
In October, the European Commission called for candidates to participate in this pilot program. Óscar López's ministry views Spain's selection as a significant boost for this crucial initiative.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has frequently highlighted the importance of protecting minors in the digital space. In January 2024, he announced plans for a comprehensive bill aimed at securing minors' safety online, which was subsequently presented in March. Sánchez pointed out a concerning “epidemic” of minors accessing pornographic content, citing statistics that indicate one in four children under 12 have been exposed to such material, and nearly half of those under 15 consume it regularly. He emphasized that this issue affects adolescents' development and future behavior regarding equality.
The EU shares this concern, recently launching an initiative against adult websites that pose risks to minors. Specifically, the Commission has begun an investigation into several major adult content platforms, including Pornhub, focusing on the potential risks they present. Member States will also work to implement measures against smaller sites.
Together with France and Greece, Spain is advocating for a minimum age requirement for social media platforms and urging device manufacturers to incorporate integrated age verification and parental control tools.
Towards a European Digital Wallet
According to the eIDAS2 regulation, starting November 2026, all EU Member States must provide citizens with secure means for digital identification when interacting with authorities and businesses, especially in instances where strong authentication is needed. The upcoming European digital wallet aims to eliminate the need for physical documents and tedious registrations with usernames and passwords for official procedures.
As one of the first countries to develop this tool, Spain's digital wallet will not only serve to verify users' ages anonymously but will also include additional functionalities, such as the certification of university degrees.
The Beta Digital Wallet will store a credential issued by the Government of Spain verifying the user's age. Internet platforms can access this credential to confirm whether a user is of legal age to view adult content, without exchanging any other personal information.
A Delayed, Yet Promising Project
In January of last year, the Spanish Government announced its plans to combat child access to pornography online. Ministerial spokesperson Pilar Alegría expressed the administration's commitment to addressing this pressing issue faced by Spanish families. The development of the Beta Digital Wallet is a key component of this plan, aimed squarely at ensuring that individuals accessing adult websites are of legal age. The Spanish Data Protection Agency (AEPD) began collaborating on the project with the National Mint and Stamp Factory back in December 2023.
In April of last year, former minister José Luis Escrivá indicated that the goal was to have the application ready by 2024, emphasizing that it would comply with European digital wallet standards, particularly those related to identity protection for secure and anonymous age verification.
Experts have raised concerns about the challenges of implementing a secure and effective age verification system. Many privacy advocates worry that such mechanisms could compromise users' digital anonymity, especially since they often involve handling personal data, which may expose users to potential data breaches and exploitation.
