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EU Online Age Verification (Age assurance) been enforced from 21st July 2025
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17-07-2025 11:35AM#1
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Why do people online not realise what powers our Coimisiún na Meán (Ireland's media regulator) has on EU wide level?
The Irish Online Safety Code and sanctions can have de facto EU-wide consequences for these companies, since their EU operations are managed from Ireland.
If a platform has its EU headquarters in Ireland, decisions and compliance obligations imposed under the Online Safety Code are enforced on an EU-wide basis by Irish authorities. This is why Ireland’s regulatory actions, penalties, or investigations are particularly significant—and why many of these platforms’ EU-level legal notices and privacy policies refer to their Irish entity.
In summary: All of the major listed platforms except possibly Tumblr have their EU headquarters in Ireland, so breaches of Ireland’s Online Safety Code can trigger EU-wide enforcement through Irish regulators
I was surprised to see Reddit on the list and they got fierce backlash for Implementing UK Laws early?
"Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it." ~ George Santayana
"But that's balanced out by the fact that it's a mandate not to do very much." ~ Prof. Eoin O'Malley2 -
Adrian Weckler article from today's business supplement with the Independent: -
Is Elon Musk trying to tell us something? And is it ‘Eff you, Coimisiún na Meán?’
^^ Archive.ph (add to whitelist on DNS/Ad blockers)
"Passport uploads to access X?{or other sites listed above? ~ My edit}
That, in theory, is what Irish{And EU}people are looking at from tomorrow, as tough new age-verification measures against children accessing adult content online take effect in Ireland{ and EU Wide}, under the Online Safety Code."This article is more an attack on 'X' than actually provide any useful information like the above list.
I am hoping that since I have a 17+ years google account, I won't be requested to verify to use youtube. And my reddit account is 11 years old, so if they ask to verify, did I create the account when I was under 7? (I know some parents create profiles for their children/babies at times?)
If anyone is interested in the process to verify with a passport might take check out this link: -
I did it myself, yesterday, with an application to verify your humanity for a social platform.
I was undecided to post above here or in the 'X Thread'? {Items in these brackets are my edits}"Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it." ~ George Santayana
"But that's balanced out by the fact that it's a mandate not to do very much." ~ Prof. Eoin O'Malley0 -
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It is very hard to know what exact limitations will be placed yet, because nobody knows and the powers that be have not provided exact details. And it is up to Platforms themselves to enforce the guidelines/rules in there own decided manner.
Have a look at what is happening with Reddit in the UK (introduced uk laws on monday).
I am using an 18+ Restricted youtube short (and NSFW reddit sub) to provided access code for my own PWA viewers.
The platforms depending on their content may decided to Age check for all access or just to specific content 18+ ( and NSFW) content.
"Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it." ~ George Santayana
"But that's balanced out by the fact that it's a mandate not to do very much." ~ Prof. Eoin O'Malley0 -
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^^ The guidelines under the Digital Services Act emphasise that platforms must identify how risky their content is to children, and then take practical and workable steps so that children don’t access it. File pictureIt's crystal clear that an unregulated digital world carries far too many risks for the young
While technology is with us and brings great benefits to everyone, tech platforms and those who are in the business of selling their digital products and advertising to us, must do it in a way that is decent and fair, writes Noeline Blackwell « «Archive.ph (whitelist it)- They emphasise that platforms must identify how risky their content is to children, and then take practical and workable steps so that children don’t access it.
- They must have practical, effective age assurance systems to stop children from accessing inappropriate content.
- The second and final section of Coimisiún na Meán’s Online Safety Code comes into effect today. This applies to a smaller number of companies but includes some of the largest social media companies, which have their European headquarters in Ireland.
Noeline Blackwell is the Online Safety Co-Ordinator with the Children's Rights Alliance
Now the above is more effective and informative article compared to Adrian Weckler attack on the process! Well worth reading, some highlights bulleted above.
I knew that this article was incoming since midnight because google search had a broken link to it.
@CardF Do better with your replies?
"Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it." ~ George Santayana
"But that's balanced out by the fact that it's a mandate not to do very much." ~ Prof. Eoin O'Malley1 -
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I was thinking of editing my previous post with this:-
- In May, Coimisiún na Meán de-designated Reddit as a platform under its remit, stating that the company's service to users in the EU is now provided by a Dutch entity. ~ Source ref cnam
I also asked RTE to make it a Clarity article?
Edit: - Noeline Blackwell was on the One O'clock News and said: -
"If platforms don't have robust measures in place from today, then don't show the content!"
Or words to the same effect!
And my query about been age verified for youtube won't apply to me based on this: -
Google Account: Access age-restricted content & features ~ Check you own account? Got the same response for 2 of my accounts.
Post edited by corkie on"Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it." ~ George Santayana
"But that's balanced out by the fact that it's a mandate not to do very much." ~ Prof. Eoin O'Malley1 -
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Ireland's regulation is not unique, but rather an early and strict national implementation of a process that will become mandatory across the EU within the next year or two, following the phased rollout of EU guidance and technology.
The EU is enforcing a harmonised, risk-based approach to online age verification, with Ireland being one of the more proactive Member States in applying these obligations.
I'm sure other EU Countries regulators will follow suit with similar rules/laws.
Hearing about France plans tonight:-
- Posting on X, Macron said: “I'm banning social media for children under 15. Platforms have the ability to verify age. Let's do it.”
- French authorities are already progressing with efforts to force certain social media sites — including X, Reddit, Bluesky and Mastodon — to introduce age verification, by classifying them as pornographic websites.
Some information I go searching for, additional things get fed to me on social circles i'm in.
Just noticed that I have an 18 badge on my reddit profile now for creating a sub and putting up one post Marked NSFW. Even with not posting adult content. Just an access code as I mentioned before.
Post edited by corkie on"Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it." ~ George Santayana
"But that's balanced out by the fact that it's a mandate not to do very much." ~ Prof. Eoin O'Malley0 -
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It is been enforced on all the major social platforms because they have EU Headquarters here or other countries in the EU.
Age verification applies to all platforms no matter the size.
Other countries and even the USA have these laws in the pipeline.
I had someone warning about the 'Verified Human' app that I posted about. I know the creator of it and did my own checks on the passport reader service he was using before utilising it. I knew about it 6 Months ago but my passport was well out of date, so had time to research it. And didn't use it on an impulse reaction to finding the service.
Even Bluesky which is still small and hosted in USA was required to setup EU HQ!
Post edited by corkie on"Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it." ~ George Santayana
"But that's balanced out by the fact that it's a mandate not to do very much." ~ Prof. Eoin O'Malley0 -
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They moved there EQ HQ to the Netherlands in May, so will be governed by that regulator and not CnaM.
So the answer is practically yes reddit will be required to implement age gating for the EU as well.
"Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it." ~ George Santayana
"But that's balanced out by the fact that it's a mandate not to do very much." ~ Prof. Eoin O'Malley0 -
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