The European Commission has once again become the target of viral misinformation after several posts, viewed millions of times, claimed Brussels intends to require an “internet passport” before users can go online.
Some posts went even further, alleging that the Commission plans to ban Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) to prevent users from bypassing the system.
In reality, the claims relate to the Commission’s planned age-verification app, a tool intended to help shield children from harmful or age-inappropriate online content. The app is expected to be rolled out by the end of 2026, subject to implementation by EU member states or integration into national European Digital Identity Wallets.
Much of the misinformation centres on the fact that users will initially verify their age using an official identity document, a process that some social media users presented as an “internet passport”.
Age verification, not internet access
To activate the app, users will need to verify their age using an official identity document, such as a passport or national identity card.
When announcing it, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the system was designed to allow people to prove they meet an age verification requirement “just like shops ask for proof of age for people buying alcoholic beverages in a shop”.
Once the initial verification has been completed, the app is designed to reveal only whether a user meets the required age threshold for a particular online service. It is not intended to disclose personal information such as a user’s name, date of birth or identity.
Von der Leyen said the app would allow users to prove their ages “without revealing any other personal information”.
She also said the software would be fully open source, allowing anyone to inspect the underlying code.
Despite this, critics argue that requiring identity verification before accessing certain online services could pave the way for greater control over internet use.
The European Commission disputes that characterisation, maintaining that the system’s sole purpose is to prevent under-18s from accessing content and services that may be harmful to them, while preserving users’ privacy through age-only verification.
VPNs are not being banned
Another claim circulating online is that the EU intends to ban or block VPNs in order to enforce its new age-verification system.
The Cube has already debunked this narrative. It stems from a European Parliamentary Research Service (EPRS) briefing, from January, which examined how VPNs can be used to circumvent online age-verification systems.
The report prompted speculation on social media that Brussels was preparing to crack down on VPNs, with some users highlighting passages describing them as potential “loopholes” in age-verification measures.
However, this interpretation is misleading. The document is not an expression of official EU policy but a research briefing produced to inform MEPs and European Parliament staff. It neither proposes nor recommends restricting the use of VPNs.
Speculation resurfaced following the European Commission’s announcement of its age-verification app in late April. During a press conference, Henna Virkkunen, the European Commissioner responsible for Tech Sovereignty, Security and Democracy, was asked how the EU intends to stop minors from using VPNs to bypass the system.
Virkkunen acknowledged that no technological solution is entirely foolproof, but said the age-verification tool formed part of the EU’s broader efforts to strengthen safeguards for minors accessing online content.
She later clarified in an interview with the Finnish financial news programme Talousaamu that the aim was to make age-verification safeguards harder to circumvent, not to ban VPNs.
Her office also confirmed to The Cube that there was “absolutely no crackdown on VPNs”.
A European Commission spokesperson likewise told us that the EU remains committed to preserving a free and open internet while improving protection for children online.
There are ongoing debates over the Commission’s implementation of online age verification, including questions about its effectiveness and the time it took the Commission to implement it.
However, amid genuine criticism, there is no evidence the Commission is introducing an “internet passport” to access the internet or banning VPNs.