In a bid to restrict the access to online pornography by minors, Spain has come up with a new mobile application that will not only require users to verify their age, but also limits the number of credits for viewing adult content.
This comes after Dale Una Vuelta, an anti-pornography group that campaigns for tighter regulations on access to adult content online, earlier released statistics that raised concerns over the alarming spread of adult content among minors.
Calling the data "devastating," Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez told El Pais newspaper, "Almost half of young people under 15 years of age consume it".
How will the app work?
The mobile application, officially called the Digital Wallet Beta (Cartera Digital Beta), and locally known as the "pajaporte", will allow platforms to check whether the user is above the age of 18 years or not. To verify their age, the viewers will be asked to use the mobile app.
The application will work as a mobile phone wallet and will verify users' age through one of the five government-issued IDs.
Once verified, the users will then receive 30 "porn credits" with one-month validity. These credits will grant them access to adult content. Further, users will be able to put a request for extra credits.
Launch date
The mobile application will be available by the end of the summer, reports said.
Though it is being criticised by a section of activists and experts for its complexity, the Spanish government has defended the move. According to the government, the credit-based model is more privacy-friendly and ensures that the online activities are not easily traceable.
It will be voluntary, as online platforms can rely on other age-verification methods available to keep a check on inappropriate viewers.
The upcoming app is part of the broader effort to align with the European Union law that comes into effect in October 2027. Eventually, the porn passport in Spain will likely get replaced by the EU's own digital identity system (eIDAS2).
