The European Union is turning the internet into a permission-based system where ordinary citizens must surrender their digital identity to participate in modern society.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is fast-tracking plans that will require every social media user to provide government-approved digital ID just to log in. What is sold as child protection will soon make verified digital identity the price of entry into online life — the place where ordinary people work, socialize, shop, debate, and organize.
Von der Leyen announced this week that the EU is actively pursuing a bloc-wide social media ban for minors. “I believe we must consider a social media delay,” she said in Copenhagen. “Depending on the results, we could come up with a legal proposal this summer.”
BYPASS THE CENSORS
Sign up to get unfiltered news delivered straight to your inbox.
You can unsubscribe any time. By subscribing you agree to our Terms of Use
She praised Australia’s under-16 ban and pushed Europe to follow: “Childhood and early adolescence are formative years, and I believe we should give our children more time to become resilient in this vulnerable phase.”
Johnny Depp Drops 'Vile' Leonardo DiCaprio Cannibal Tape: "Hollywood Must Burn"
France aims to block under-15s from September, with Spain, Germany, Ireland, Denmark, Greece, Austria, and the Netherlands also advancing similar rules. Britain is moving in the same direction.
The Real Target: Everyone
Critics point out the obvious flaw in the “child safety” framing: platforms cannot verify age without verifying identity for all users. To protect minors, authorities will effectively force adults to upload official documents or connect through government-linked digital ID systems before they can post, comment, browse, or message.
The EU has already developed an age-verification app built on the controversial digital COVID certificate infrastructure — the same system many warned would pave the way for broader digital control. Brussels is promoting it aggressively despite privacy risks and technical problems.
This will be enforced through the Digital Services Act (DSA), which threatens tech companies with fines of up to 6% of global revenue. The outcome is clear: anonymous participation in digital society ends. Refuse to submit your papers, and you risk being locked out of the platforms that now shape public discourse, economic opportunity, and social connection.
From Protection to Permission
While presented as a shield for children, the policy normalizes a future where the state decides who may participate in online society. “Safety” becomes the justification for mass digital identification and expanded surveillance.
Several countries, including Poland and Estonia, are resisting full mandates over concerns about access to information and sovereignty. Yet the Commission shows no sign of backing down.
If enacted, this marks one of the most sweeping interventions into daily life in democratic Europe. To stay informed, to engage in debate, to run a business, or simply to connect with others in the digital age, Europeans will first need to present their digital ID to the authorities.
The message is becoming unmistakable: Submit to the system, or step out of society.
