Google accuses Meta age verification scheme of privacy risks

Google once again publicly challenged Meta's age verification scheme, pointing out that its practice of relying on the operating system's built-in app store to verify the user's age is "ineffective." This dispute occurred against the backdrop of fierce discussions among European countries on how to restrict minors from accessing restricted content on the Internet.

At present, France has taken the lead in enforcing the age verification system for users of pornographic websites, and Paris has joined forces with many governments to call on the European Union to introduce unified regulations to prohibit teenagers under the age of 15 from using social media to curb the spread of addiction, cyberbullying and hate speech.

However, Google pointed out sharply in its official blog that forcing app stores to verify age actually hides huge privacy risks - the user's age information range will be shared with millions of developers, even developers who develop completely harmless applications such as flashlights. Google said bluntly: "We are extremely concerned about the threat that this 'scheme' may pose to children."

Google further revealed the essential loopholes of the scheme: it cannot prevent minors from easily bypassing protection and obtaining restricted content through other channels such as desktop computers and family shared devices. It is worth noting that Apple also objected to Meta's proposal. In a public document released in February this year, Apple clearly stated that the responsibility for verifying age should fall on websites and apps that provide restricted content, rather than being implemented "one size fits all" at the system or app store level.

However, Meta's security director Antigone Davis holds the opposite position. She insists that implementing verification at the system and app store level can build a safer online environment for teenagers. To this end, Meta has launched a campaign to actively lobby European legislation to enforce this measure.

It is interesting to note that according to the EU Digital Services Act that came into effect last year, the statutory responsibility for verifying the user's age is clearly attributed to Meta and other platforms themselves, rather than operating systems or app store providers. The differences between technology giants and regulatory requirements form a striking tension, and the direction of the next stage of the game has attracted much attention.