EU's new age verification app faces criticism over Google dependence

The European Union is developing a new, open-source Android app for age verification so that users can prove their age to online services while protecting their privacy. This app will act as a toolbox component that other member states will be able to build their own custom solutions on.

Right now, the app is an initial, prototype version and isn’t ready for production use. Additionally, its current release still lacks full security features such as code obfuscation and anti-tampering measures.

While a homegrown app for age verification could theoretically have significant advantages over trusting sensitive information to third-party age assurance companies, plans for this app have caused some commotion online.

Plans for this app include using the Google Play Integrity API for device and app verification. The API checks to see whether the OS is licensed by Google and if the app was downloaded from the Play Store. This means that if you try to use an app on a non-Google-licensed Android system or try to download an app from outside the Play Store, it won’t work.

This feature is not yet implemented, but it is planned. If this plan does go ahead, it could limit user freedom and it also flies in the face of the EU’s antitrust actions against Google.

Numerous users and developers have already raised their concerns on GitHub about the planned Google Play Integrity integrations. Critics argue that such a measure would create dependency on American tech giants and undermine EU digital sovereignty.

People responding to the proposal in a GitHub issue referred the developers to existing identity apps such as Yivi, a Dutch age-verification app that functions without the Google Play Integrity API and is available on open-source app stores such as F-Droid.

At the time of writing, the issue remains open and a thread on Reddit has attracted attention to it. However, the maintainers of the project have not yet responded to the concerns.

Image via Depositphotos.com

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Posted Monday 28 July 2025 at 12:36 pm AEST (my time).

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