EU's Age Verification App Raises Red Flags Over Privacy and Security Concerns
The European Union's newly unveiled mobile app for checking people's age online has been criticized by cybersecurity experts, who have found several glaring privacy and security issues with the code. The app, presented by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Wednesday, is intended to help countries ban kids from social media.
Cybersecurity consultant Paul Moore reported that the app stores sensitive data on a user's phone and leaves it unprotected, while French hacker Baptiste Robert confirmed that the app's biometric authentication features can be bypassed. Olivier Blazy, a cryptographic researcher, stated that someone could use his phone to prove they are over 18.
The European Commission has maintained that the app is "technically ready," but officials have acknowledged that it is still a demo version and not yet available for citizens. The commission's digital spokesperson said that the code will be constantly updated and improved.
Critics of age blocks say the technology to check people's ages with proper privacy and data protections just isn't ready, and even if it was, internet users would easily bypass it with virtual private networks (VPNs). A group of over 400 privacy and security experts had sent an open letter to the Commission in March calling for a "moratorium on deployment plans" until the scientific consensus settles on the benefits and harms of age-assurance technologies.
