Ireland to Introduce Age Verification Tool in New National Digital Wallet to Protect Children Online

Dublin: The Irish Government has announced plans to introduce an age verification system as part of a forthcoming national digital wallet, aimed at enhancing online safety for children.

The initiative follows Australia’s landmark decision to ban social media use for anyone under the age of 16 — a world-first policy now influencing other countries’ approaches to child online protection.

The Office of the Government Chief Information Officer, in collaboration with the Department of Communications, is developing the digital wallet. Communications Minister Patrick O’Donovan confirmed that a pilot programme involving 2,000 participants will begin in the first quarter of next year, with supporting legislation to follow. Under the proposal, users will verify their age through MyGovID, though personal data will not be shared with internet platforms.

Child-safety advocates have long urged the government to compel online platforms to disable harmful content for minors. Last year, however, the Irish Media Commission deferred implementation of the EU Digital Services Act and referred the issue to Brussels.

Minister O’Donovan expressed disappointment that the European Commission has not required online platforms to disable recommender algorithms deemed harmful to children, emphasising that individual member states lack the authority to enforce such measures unilaterally. Despite this, several EU nations — including France, Italy and Spain — have already introduced restrictions on social media access for minors.

Australia’s new law will bar under-16s from accessing ten major social media platforms — including TikTok, Snapchat and Instagram — and impose significant penalties on companies that violate the rules. The Irish government is monitoring the rollout closely as it develops its own verification model.

Although Ireland has yet to propose a specific minimum age for online access, Minister O’Donovan said he favours setting the limit at 16, comparing unrestricted access to harmful online content to allowing a child into a bar to drink alcohol.

As chair of the European Council of Communications Ministers next year, the minister aims to prioritise introducing EU-wide regulation to better protect children online.

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