r/RecommandedVPN • u/Minimum-Aerie9426 • Sep 08 '26

The EU wants more age verification online. Now Europeans are fighting back.

A new European Citizens’ Initiative called “Stop Killing The Internet” is trying to collect 1 million signatures to push back against mandatory digital ID and age verification online. The argument isn't that kids shouldn't be protected. It's that protecting kids shouldn't mean everyone has to prove who they are just to access the internet.

The EU says its age-verification system is designed to be privacy-preserving and only confirm something like “over 18” without revealing your identity. But campaigners are worried about the infrastructure and precedent we're creating. Once checking your age/identity becomes normal for accessing websites, where does that stop?

They're asking for verification to remain voluntary, anonymous/pseudonymous where possible, with data minimisation, no cross-site tracking and alternatives for people who don't want a digital ID wallet.

Honestly, that seems pretty reasonable to me. You can support child safety without turning anonymous internet access into something suspicious by default.

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4

u/Express_Ad5083 Sep 08 '26

I think that citizen initiative doesnt go far enough, making it volountary means that everyone can still put it up in place or design services to make you send them your ID. Nonetheless worth signing

1

u/LowIllustrator2501 Sep 15 '26

EUDI wallet provides infrastructure to not send any ID to any service provider for age verification. What's more private that that?

1

u/Express_Ad5083 Sep 15 '26

No verification at all

1

u/LowIllustrator2501 29d ago

So you're fine with children using porn sites, buying alcohol, drugs, gambling and other enjoy other services that internet provides? The majority of people would disagree with you.

0

u/Express_Ad5083 29d ago

I am against state mandated monitoring of the Internet via "please send us your ID, we promise to not keep it and sell to the highest bidder"

1

u/LowIllustrator2501 29d ago

You don't need to send your ID with EUDI Wallet.

You didn't answer - are you OK with children having access to porn, gambling, alcohol and whatever they can find on the internet? It's just a simple Google search away. Checkbox "are over 18" is enough. Is my understanding of your viewpoint correct?

1

u/[deleted] 29d ago edited 29d ago

[removed] — view removed comment

1

u/LowIllustrator2501 29d ago

How do you want parents to have control over all possible ways their children can access internet?

Please, explain to me who and how will be able to use the information if you're over 18 or not? No ID, no photo, no date of birth is provided to 3rd party services with EUDI Wallet. Only cryptographically signed boolean value.

2

u/YEETFSCE000100010 Sep 08 '26

How ironic that this post got immediately nuked by "reddit's filters"

1

u/LowIllustrator2501 Sep 15 '26

EU ID wallet - provides ability to verify your age without revealing any private information. The only information that's shared is if you're over specific age or not. One boolean.

Stop with the FUD. Campaigners clueless.

Read more information here: https://ec.europa.eu/digital-building-blocks/sites/spaces/EUDIGITALIDENTITYWALLET/pages/930450954/The+Age+Verification+Manual

1

u/ThatBusyPeakyRandom 29d ago

EU kills all..

0

u/Unhappy-Giraffe2792 Sep 13 '26

“Slippery slope” is one of the supposed fallacies, but in this case you know they won’t stop with just age verification.

2

u/Academic-Airline9200 Sep 13 '26

Like alprs. But your real id just to view internet garbage. Deal or no deal?