Slovakia

§ 58 and 59 of Media Services Act become effective: Specific provisions related to multimodal access for on-demand audiovisual media services come into effect.

Commission releases enhanced second version of age-verification blueprint: The European Commission released an updated version of its age verification blueprint, introducing features like passport/ID card onboarding and support for Digital Credentials API.

EU age verification blueprint published, pilot phase begins: The European Commission published the first version of a white-label 'Age Verification' blueprint and launched an EU-wide pilot phase in several member states (Denmark, Greece, Spain, France, Italy).

BiometricUpdate reports on EU social media age verification: Article discussing the growing pressure for age checks on social media platforms in the EU, with Slovakia listed among the countries pushing for stricter guidelines.

11 EU states (including Slovakia) advocate for mandatory social media age checks: Slovakia, along with 10 other EU member states, signed a letter to the European Commission advocating for mandatory age verification for social media platforms under the DSA's minor-protection guidelines.

EDRi raises concerns about EU's new age verification app: EDRi published an article expressing concerns about the EU's 'mini wallet' app, highlighting potential threats to privacy, data protection, and digital exclusion.

Discussion on Digital Identities and Future of Age Verification in Europe: Publication of an article by EFF discussing the political debate around age verification and the European Commission's proposal based on digital identities.

EU unveils 'mini wallet' age verification app plans: EU officials presented plans for a 'white label' age verification app, initially for three member states, with the intention to expand across the EU for age-gating access to platforms, including porn.

EU Digital Services Act (DSA) effective for all other platforms: The EU Digital Services Act extended its applicability to all other online platforms, further standardizing digital service regulations across the EU.

EU Digital Services Act (DSA) effective for Very Large Online Platforms (VLOPs): The EU Digital Services Act began applying to Very Large Online Platforms, introducing new obligations for content moderation and user protection, including age verification for high-risk content.

Proposed amendment for written porn access requests: MP Martin Čepček submitted a proposal to amend the media law, suggesting that access to pornographic content should require an official certificate of being over 18 and a written request with an officially verified signature. This was a proposal and not enacted.

Supervision of §62 of Media Services Act by Regulator: The Council for Media Services began supervising compliance with §62 (Protection of Minors) of the Media Services Act, with fines up to 100,000 EUR for violations during this initial period.

Amendment to the Act on the Protection of Personal Data: Restricted social media access for users under 16 without parental consent. This is likely superseded by GDPR and DSA for personal data and online services.