A privacy technology provider said European Union member states can alter the open-source app to require real-name identity checks, raising concerns about anonymous online speech.
Vitalik Buterin, co-founder of Ethereum, criticized a European Union age verification app over privacy risks. The concern centers on an open-source version that, according to a privacy tool provider, can be modified by member states to add real-name identity checks. That could make anonymous posting online impossible in some implementations. The issue highlights a broader tension between digital identity systems and privacy-preserving internet access, especially when age checks can be expanded into stronger forms of identity verification.