Digital Age Verification: Insights into AGCOM's New Regulations and Operations of Intesa Solution
In a significant move to protect minors and ensure user privacy, the Communications Authority (AGCOM) has approved a new online age verification standard on May 20, 2025. This two-phase process, designed for compliance with age restrictions, offers benefits for adult websites while maintaining user privacy.
**Two-Phase Process**
The new standard introduces a two-phase process for age verification. In the **Initial Verification Phase**, users undergo a minimal verification step that confirms age without revealing sensitive personal information. Technological tools such as AI-based age estimation, biometric checks, or document verification are securely processed to confirm if a user is above the legal age threshold.
If the first phase is inconclusive or if additional confirmation is required, a more detailed verification step is performed in the **Secondary Verification Phase**. This could involve multi-factor authentication or cross-checking against trusted government or third-party databases to securely validate the user’s age.
**Technological Requirements**
The standard emphasizes privacy-preserving technologies that minimise the disclosure of personal data. Cryptographic techniques or zero-knowledge proofs are used to confirm age without exposing other personal details. The verification solutions must also be non-intrusive, quick, and secure to avoid deterring legitimate users.
The system is designed to be easily integrated into existing online platforms, particularly adult websites, without substantial overhead or user friction. Compliance and certification are essential, with technological implementations required to meet security, privacy, and interoperability standards.
**Benefits for Adult Websites and User Privacy**
Adult websites can reliably enforce age restrictions, reducing the risk of exposing minors to inappropriate content while meeting regulatory requirements. The standard protects users’ sensitive information from unnecessary exposure or data breaches.
The two-step process balances security with user convenience, reducing barriers for adult users while maintaining robust age verification controls. Clear instructions and technological guidelines provide platform operators with a swift and confident implementation of compliant and effective age verification systems.
The new AGCOM discipline introduces a more effective age verification model compared to previous solutions, such as self-certifications or simple checkboxes.
**Intesa Solution**
Intesa, a provider of digital transformation solutions, offers a strategic choice for digital providers seeking reliable, easy-to-implement, and privacy-respecting technological solutions for age assurance. The Intesa Solution uses compliant technologies such as SPID, CIE, and automated document recognition solutions.
The age verification process consists of a two-phase system: identification and authentication phases. In the identification phase, a third-party provider verifies the user's identity using tools like SPID, CIE, or electronic passport. In the authentication phase, an anonymous and data-free "age proof" is generated and transmitted to the site or platform.
The Intesa Solution offers a digital identification platform compliant with AGCOM requirements for age assurance. The proof is reusable, secure, and does not allow the service provider to link the user's real identity to the online activity performed.
This approach aligns with broader EU priorities on digital safety and privacy, reflecting a shift towards secure, user-centric digital identity solutions without compromising compliance enforcement. The new regulation requires platforms to adopt reliable, transparent, and privacy-compliant age verification systems within six months of the deliberation’s publication.
In the context of the new online age verification standard, the Initial Verification Phase utilizes technology such as AI-based age estimation, biometric checks, or document verification to confirm a user's age while prioritizing user privacy. Furthermore, the general news landscape is impacted by this change, as several adult websites will incorporate privacy-preserving technologies to comply with the new regulatory requirements, thereby safeguarding minors and ensuring user privacy in line with the EU's focus on digital safety and privacy.
