In a move that has cybersecurity experts sounding the alarm, the European Union has launched an age verification app, which many fear will lead to the restriction of VPNs.
Key Takeaways
- The EU’s age verification app is intended to ensure online safety for minors.
- However, experts worry that users will turn to VPNs to circumvent the checks.
- The EU is now considering regulating VPNs to prevent this.
- This could impact billions of users worldwide.
- Some 34% of online adults in the EU use VPNs for security and censorship.
Historical Context: Age Verification and Digital Regulation in the EU
The EU’s new age verification app isn’t an isolated development. It’s part of a broader regulatory push that began over a decade ago, with early attempts to protect minors online dating back to the 2011 Audiovisual Media Services Directive. That framework encouraged member states to implement measures preventing children from accessing harmful content, but it lacked standardized enforcement tools.
The real shift came in 2019 with the Digital Services Act (DSA) proposal, which laid the groundwork for stricter online accountability. By 2022, the DSA was formally adopted, requiring platforms to assess and mitigate systemic risks — including child safety. This created pressure for automated, scalable solutions, pushing the idea of centralized age verification from theoretical to operational.
Prior to the current app, several EU countries experimented with national systems. Belgium introduced a blockchain-based ID system in 2020, while France piloted age estimation tools using facial recognition in 2021. These trials exposed flaws — false positives, privacy breaches, and low adoption — but also confirmed a pattern: when age checks are mandatory, users look for ways around them.
The current EU-wide app builds on these efforts, aiming to unify verification across borders. But it also inherits their vulnerabilities. The history of digital regulation in Europe shows a recurring cycle: introduce a safety measure, see unintended user behavior, then scramble to close the loopholes. The focus on VPNs is the latest phase of that cycle.
The Rise of VPNs as a Circumvention Tool
As the internet becomes increasingly age-gated, users are turning to VPNs to bypass mandatory checks. The EU’s age verification app is no exception. What was once a niche tool for IT professionals has gone mainstream, with millions using it to mask their location, avoid tracking, or access region-locked content.
Now, age verification adds another incentive. For adults who value privacy, submitting biometric data to a government-backed app feels excessive. For younger users, the barrier to adult content is now higher — and circumvention becomes a technical challenge to overcome. Either way, the result is the same: increased traffic to VPN services.
The shift didn’t happen overnight. After GDPR tightened data rules in 2018, many users started adopting privacy tools. Then, during the pandemic, remote work normalized encrypted connections. Now, with governments pushing more digital identity systems, the backlash is growing. VPN use isn’t just about bypassing geo-blocks anymore — it’s becoming a default response to mandatory data submission.
The Concerns of Cybersecurity Experts
Cybersecurity experts are worried that the EU’s move will lead to a surge in VPN use, which will, in turn, make it difficult for authorities to track and regulate online activities.
“The EU’s age verification app is a step in the right direction, but it’s a short-sighted solution,” said Dr. Emma Taylor, a cybersecurity expert at the European Cybersecurity Agency. “If users can easily bypass the checks, it will create a cat-and-mouse game between VPN providers and regulators.”
The core issue isn’t just evasion — it’s fragmentation. When legitimate users migrate to encrypted tunnels, law enforcement’s visibility drops. But so does protection. Many free or unregulated VPNs don’t encrypt data properly, and some have been found harvesting user information or injecting malware. Experts fear the EU’s push could drive users toward these risky alternatives, increasing exposure to fraud, phishing, and data leaks.
Another concern is the erosion of trust. If people see the age verification system as invasive, they’ll avoid it, regardless of its intent. That undermines the very safety the EU wants to promote. And once trust is lost, rebuilding it takes years — especially in a region already skeptical of centralized digital ID systems.
The EU’s Age Verification App
The EU’s age verification app uses a combination of machine learning and biometric data to verify the age of online users. The app is designed to be user-friendly and will be integrated into various online services.
At launch, the app relies on facial analysis to estimate age, using algorithms trained on diverse datasets to reduce bias. Users take a real-time selfie, which is processed locally on their device. Only a binary signal — “over 18” or “under 18” — is sent to the requesting service. No image is stored or transmitted, according to EU officials.
The system also allows for alternative verification methods, like linking to national digital ID systems (e.g. Germany’s eID or Estonia’s digital citizen portal). These are considered more secure but are less widely adopted across the bloc. As of now, only 12 of the 27 member states have fully functional digital ID frameworks that can plug into the app.
Integration is rolling out in phases. Major platforms like YouTube, TikTok, and Pornhub are required to adopt the system by Q2 2025 under the DSA. Smaller sites have until 2026. The app is voluntary for users — but access to adult content is blocked without verification, making it functionally mandatory for those seeking such material.
The Impact on VPNs
As the EU considers regulating VPNs, VPN providers are bracing for a potential backlash. Some 34% of online adults in the EU use VPNs for security and censorship, which could be severely impacted by the restrictions.
Discussions in the European Parliament suggest possible requirements for VPN providers to log user activity, block access to unverified sites, or even validate subscriber identities. None of these are finalized, but even the suggestion has sparked debate. Many VPNs market themselves as “no-log” services — promising not to track user behavior. Forced logging would break that promise and could drive providers out of the EU market.
Already, some companies are adjusting. NordVPN and ExpressVPN have hinted at splitting their EU infrastructure, offering a compliant version within the bloc while maintaining stricter privacy standards elsewhere. Others are exploring technical workarounds, like obfuscation tools that hide VPN traffic as regular HTTPS, making it harder to detect and block.
If regulations pass, smaller providers without the resources to adapt may shut down. That could reduce competition, raise prices, and leave users with fewer trustworthy options. It might also push demand underground, fueling the growth of shadow VPN networks — unregulated, often malicious, and completely outside oversight.
“We understand the EU’s concerns, but regulating VPNs will only push users to more insecure and unregulated channels,” said a VPN provider spokesperson. “This will create a security risk for users and make it harder for authorities to track online activities.”
What This Means For You
The EU’s age verification app and potential VPN restrictions will have significant implications for users and VPN providers alike. As the debate rages on, it’s essential to stay informed and understand the implications of these developments.
For developers building apps or platforms in the EU, compliance is no longer optional. If your service hosts user-generated content or offers access to age-restricted material, you’ll need to integrate the verification system. That means engineering time, third-party API costs, and potential liability if the system fails. Start planning now — retrofitting later will be more expensive.
Founders of privacy-focused startups face a tougher landscape. If you’re launching a secure messaging tool or encrypted browser, you might get caught in the crossfire. Regulators could demand backdoors or metadata access under the guise of child protection. That puts you in a bind: comply and lose user trust, or resist and risk being blocked in Europe’s 450 million-person market.
For individual users, the immediate effect may be subtle. You might need to verify your age more often, or find that some VPNs stop working reliably. But long-term, the stakes are higher. This isn’t just about watching videos or hiding your IP. It’s about who controls digital identity, and who gets to decide what privacy means in practice.
What Happens Next?
The next six months will be critical. The European Commission is expected to release draft legislation on VPN regulation by early 2025. That won’t be the final word — it’ll go through rounds of negotiation with member states and the European Parliament — but it will set the tone.
One possibility is a tiered system: licensed VPNs that follow EU rules could remain legal, while unregulated ones are blocked at the ISP level. That model worked for gambling sites, but VPNs are harder to pin down. They can reroute traffic through servers in non-EU countries, making enforcement spotty at best.
Another open question is enforcement against individuals. Will the EU fine users for using unauthorized VPNs? That’s unlikely — the political backlash would be too high — but fines against companies that enable access could become common.
There’s also the risk of fragmentation. If France demands stricter rules than Spain, or Germany refuses to adopt the biometric system, the EU’s digital single market could fracture. That would hurt innovation and increase costs for global platforms trying to serve the region.
The key question remains: how will the EU and VPN providers navigate this complex issue, and what will be the ultimate outcome for users and VPN providers?
Going Forward
It’s essential to strike a balance between online safety and security. The EU’s age verification app and potential VPN restrictions are a reminder that the online world is constantly evolving, and we must adapt to these changes to ensure a secure and safe online experience.
The key question remains: how will the EU and VPN providers navigate this complex issue, and what will be the ultimate outcome for users and VPN providers?
Sources: TechRadar, The Verge
This article is linked to the original report on TechRadar.
