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EU age verification app not planning desktop support

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Re: EU age verification app not planning desktop support

#51

Post by dvdkon »

I finally took a look at the DSA, and it only mentions anything relevant to age verification in three places:

- Recital 71, which vaguely suggests minors' privacy and security should be extra-protected, but says that services shouldn't process extra personal data to identify them.

- Article 28, which says that platforms should provide a high level of "privacy, safety, and security of minors", again without processing extra personal data to identify them. It also says that the Commision may "issue guidelines", but says nothing suggesting age verification should be implemented.

- Article 35, which says that "large online platforms" should maybe implement age verification.

Furthermore, recital 57 says that the regulations for online platforms shouldn't apply to micro/small enterprises (which has a definition somewhere). All together, I don't see anything suggesting that anyone but the largest online services is being forced to implement age verification right now.

Judging by various posts by the Commision I've seen online, they're certainly pushing for the situation to be seen this way, but de iure, that's currently not happening.

EDIT: I found the guidelines mentioned [0], and a nice commentary on the age verification parts [1].

[0]: https://digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/en/library/commission-... [1]: https://dsa-observatory.eu/2025/07/31/do-the-dsa-guidelines-...

Re: EU age verification app not planning desktop support

#52

Post by jampekka »

bluecalm wrote: post #32

Is there anything in the proposal to stop people from VPN'ing to a free country and access their porn from there?

VPN will maybe work for porn but, as they say, "Age verification plays a crucial role across various scenarios, including access to online services, purchases of age-restricted products and claiming age-related benefits."

Re: EU age verification app not planning desktop support

#53

Post by izacus »

Luker88 wrote: post #6
bilekas wrote: post #3

This is a great example of how this whole requirement hasn't been properly thought out. > Desktop support is not currently within the project's scope. What I would like to take from this is that, by their own definition, desktop apps are out of scope for Age Verification. So does that mean we will see a return of the 'desktop applications' instead of everything being a web service ? One can dream perhaps. Until then…

> oes that mean we will see a return of the 'desktop applications'...? No. It's still required by law, which means that your desktop application will require some interaction with your smartphone.

My EU country allows tapping the ID card on a NFC reader on PC for verification. No smartphone needed for desktop use.

Why wouldn't that be sufficient?

Re: EU age verification app not planning desktop support

#54

Post by ronsor »

disruptiveink wrote: post #45
baq wrote: post #5

This is hardware attestation in a nutshell: a double edged sword, and a sharp one at that. The biggest issue is that the attestation hardware and the application client is the same device with the same manufacturer, who also happens to have a slight conflict of interest between monetizing customers and preserving any sort of privacy. IMHO the pro-attestation forces are so overwhelming that we should all cherish the m…

The insane question here is, why would the EU mandate hardware attestation controlled by two private American companies in order to access services? That seems completely contrary to the spirit of EU laws and regulations, which tend to be about protecting the consumer, preventing monopolies, ensuring people can generally live their lives where all things that are mandatory are owned and ran by the state and foster a…

> The insane question here is, why would the EU mandate hardware attestation controlled by two private American companies in order to access services?

Because the EU doesn't actually care about privacy, otherwise they wouldn't be trying to do this and ChatControl. They care about being the main ones to spy on you, and maybe using fines as additional "taxes" on rich foreign companies. That's it.

Re: EU age verification app not planning desktop support

#55

Post by jeroenhd »

cenamus wrote: post #10
Luker88 wrote: post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> oes that mean we will see a return of the 'desktop applications'...? No. It's still required by law, which means that your desktop application will require some interaction with your smartphone.

Further forcing everybody to have their phone on person at all times

Depending on the implementation, you can run the app on your computer. I don't see why the iOS app wouldn't work on macOS, and there are tons of tools to run Android apps on Windows and Linux.

If the actual implementations do copy the dependency on Play Integrity and other such APIs, that does become a problem (getting past that is a major annoyance on amd64 computers because there are so few real amd64 Android devices that can be spoofed).

However, the law regarding these apps specifically states that the use of this app must be optional. I'm not sure websites and services will implement other solutions, but in theory you should not need a phone unless you want the convenience and privacy factor of app verification. I expect alternatives (such as 1 cent payments with credit cards in your name) to stick around, at least until we get a better idea about how this thing will work out in practice.

Re: EU age verification app not planning desktop support

#57

Post by hellojesus »

Aaargh20318 wrote: post #11
Luker88 wrote: post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> oes that mean we will see a return of the 'desktop applications'...? No. It's still required by law, which means that your desktop application will require some interaction with your smartphone.

The wallet app can be started using a QR code. You can then finish the verification on your phone and continue on the desktop website/app/whatever.

What if you don't have a phone? Or what if your phone runs a custom rom and can't pass google's attlestation?

Re: EU age verification app not planning desktop support

#58

Post by ktosobcy »

Erm... FUT?

- this project is just one implementation (POC if you want) - they simply state the current scope of the project

For anyone sane managing projects it makes sense to correctly allocate resources that would cover the most people.

and to all those whining butthurt individuals here - reality check is that it's way more probable that someone has and uses a smartphone than a computer. go out of your tiny bubbles...

Re: EU age verification app not planning desktop support

#59

Post by afandian »

When the UK age verification legislation was being debated I recall people saying "don't worry about unintended consequences, it's not like you'll be have to show your ID to random websites! Someone will show up with a reasonable methodology. You'll be able to e.g. show your ID at a shop and get an anonymous token.".

And plenty of people, including myself, thought "this is so dystopian it couldn't possibly happen".

It did happen, and it's as bad as the doomsayers said it would be.

Re: EU age verification app not planning desktop support

#60

Post by whatevaa »

mrtksn wrote: post #28
bilekas wrote: post #3

This is a great example of how this whole requirement hasn't been properly thought out. > Desktop support is not currently within the project's scope. What I would like to take from this is that, by their own definition, desktop apps are out of scope for Age Verification. So does that mean we will see a return of the 'desktop applications' instead of everything being a web service ? One can dream perhaps. Until then…

App not available doesn't mean age verification not required. You can be required to confirm your account from your mobile phone or scan some QR code on mobile that will take you to age verification session and once completed you can continue from the desktop. I mean, otherwise would be like not being bound to speed limits if you don't have a speedometer.

So a loss of mobile phone will mean loss of everything? Maybe we should just kill people if they lose a portable mobile device which can just stop working by itself? I fully expect there to be some idiotic scenarios where to get x, you need to already have x.
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