Protecting Children Online: Age Verification, Platform Duties and Georgian Law
The EU is accelerating privacy-preserving age-verification tools through 2026. What rights do children and parents have in Georgia?
Age verification should not mean exposing an identity
In April 2026 the European Commission presented a common approach to age verification that lets users prove they meet an age threshold without disclosing unnecessary personal information. Member States were encouraged to support privacy-preserving deployment by 31 December 2026. The initiative sits within the Digital Services Act’s child-safety framework.
The Commission says platforms must reduce risks to minors, cannot use targeted advertising to children, and must explain content-removal decisions and appeal options. In July 2026 it also issued preliminary findings concerning TikTok account safety for minors.
If a similar problem happens in Georgia
A child’s photo, video, voice, location or online-behaviour data is personal data. Collection and use should be assessed against the child’s best interests, purpose limitation, necessity, security and transparency. Age assurance should not become a reason to collect excessive identity information from everyone.
Parents should preserve the platform response, URL, timestamp, account details and evidence of harm. Depending on the facts, remedies may include a removal request, a personal-data complaint, consumer-rights action or court proceedings.
Business checklist
- Assess whether the service is accessible or attractive to minors.
- Collect only information necessary for age assurance.
- Give children and parents an understandable privacy notice.
- Reduce targeted advertising and excessive profiling risks.
- Maintain a fast notice, removal, appeal and incident-response process.
Child safety must be balanced with privacy, expression and platform accountability. Georgian businesses serving EU users should separately assess DSA and GDPR requirements.
## წყაროები / Sources - European Commission, EU age verification, 13 May 2026: https://digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/en/policies/eu-age-verification - European Commission, Digital Services Act: https://digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/en/policies/digital-services-act - European Commission, protecting young people online, 24 June 2026: https://digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/en/policies/protecting-young-people-online - Law of Georgia on Personal Data Protection: https://www.matsne.gov.ge/en/document/view/5827307 - Law of Georgia on the Protection of Consumer Rights: https://www.matsne.gov.ge/en/document/view/5420598
NoticeThis publication is for general information and is not individual legal advice.