What’s Happening?
On September 16, 2026, the European Commission announced a draft law that would ban social media access for children under 13 across the EU. To enforce this, platforms must verify users’ ages and the EU wants to use its new European Digital Identity Wallet (Digital ID) system to do it.
The Security Concerns
The Digital ID system would store government IDs, birth dates, and biometric data (like facial scans) for 450+ million people. Privacy experts warn of serious problems:
1. Honeypot for hackers: A centralized database with this much sensitive information is an irresistible target. When (not if) it gets breached, everyone’s data is exposed.
2. You can’t change your ID: Unlike passwords, you can’t reset your birth date or national ID number after a breach.
3. Function creep: Systems built for one purpose (age verification) rarely stay limited. Today it’s under-13s. Tomorrow it could be required for news sites, commenting, or all online activities.
4. “Voluntary” becomes mandatory: Officials claim Digital ID is optional. But what if you need it for government services, banks, employers, or social media? Practical necessity makes it mandatory.
How to Protect Yourself
Use privacy-respecting tools:
- VPN: Encrypts your internet traffic and hides your IP address. Adults can use VPNs to avoid handing over identification in some cases (check your local regulations). Everyone should use a VPN to stay safe online. Try Mullvad, ProtonVPN, or IVPN
- Browser: Firefox or Brave with tracking protection
- Search: DuckDuckGo or Startpage instead of Google
- Tracker blocker: Install uBlock Origin extension
Minimize data you share:
- Skip optional fields on forms (phone, birth date, etc.)
- Use alias emails for non-essential accounts
- Don’t link accounts with “Sign in with Google/Facebook”
- Review existing account settings and delete unused data
Think before verifying:
- Ask: is this service essential enough to give them my government ID?
- Look for alternatives that don’t require ID
- If there’s no alternative: understand the data is now in their system permanently
Get involved:
- Follow EU Digital ID developments
- Contact your representatives if you’re in the EU
- Support digital rights organizations (EFF, Digital Rights Ireland, Access Now)
The Bottom Line
Protecting children online matters. But building a surveillance infrastructure to do it creates risks far worse than the problem it claims to solve. There are better ways: parental supervision, education, and voluntary tools and not mandatory ID systems that expose everyone’s data.
Good advice. And also never give any personal details to AI 🤖.
Thanks, I tried to be thorough and clear with this!