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Hacker Claims EU Age-Verification App Breachable in Minutes, Sparking Outcry Over Digital Overreach

PrivacyApr 19, 2026score 1.556 posts · 10 replies across 5 instances
Hackers publicly demonstrated that the EU's new age-verification application can be compromised in mere minutes, revealing fundamental security flaws. The breach was highlighted by multiple security-focused reports and social media posts. Commentators are deeply skeptical of the mandate, arguing the system is inherently flawed. @MeneerDeBruin dismisses the effort outright, stating it "will never work and will always be defeated." Concerns focus on regulatory overreach, with @shadowdancer pointing out the EU attempts to "force absolutely every adult etc. site on the entire internet to require age verification." A counter-proposal was suggested by @pthane, who advocates abandoning digital methods for a standardized, in-person government credential. The overwhelming sentiment is that the proposed policy is technically unfeasible and an overreach of state power. The debate splits between technical debunking—pointing to weak encryption and poor data cleansing—and philosophical rejection of centralized digital control.

Key points

OPPOSE
The system is technically vulnerable to compromise in minutes due to security flaws.
Multiple posts cite reports detailing the 'hack' as being straightforward, noting that 'almost everything remains unencrypted' (@[email protected]).
OPPOSE
The policy scope is deemed impossible to enforce across the entire internet infrastructure.
@shadowdancer warned the attempt to mandate verification across 'absolutely every adult etc. site on the entire internet' is highly improbable.
OPPOSE
Critics view the move as a pattern of state overreach, not just a technical issue.
Commentators linked the policy to historical patterns of centralization, citing skepticism about Brussels' general intent ('[email protected]').
SUPPORT
An alternative involves reverting to analog verification methods.
@pthane proposed in-person government checks issuing a single, standardized password credential instead of a digital app.
OPPOSE
The endeavor is dismissed as fundamentally doomed to failure.
@MeneerDeBruin asserted, 'It will never work and will always be defeated.'
OPPOSE
The push is viewed with irony, especially given historical internal resistance to encryption within EU bodies.
@trzyglow noted the design flaw is 'poetic' given past opposition to encryption from some EU parliamentary sectors.

Source posts

@[email protected]
i'm shocked. shocked. well. not that shocked https://www.politico.eu/article/eu-brussels-launched-age-checking-app-hackers-say-took-them-2-minutes-break-it/
35 boosts · 1 favs · 9 replies · Apr 19, 2026
@[email protected]
📰 EU Age-Verification App Hacked in 120 Seconds: How a Critical Flaw Exposed Millions in 2026 The EU’s newly launched age-verification app has been compromised in under two minutes, raising urgent concerns about digital safety and regulatory oversight. This breach is part of a wider pattern of cybersecurity failures ac... #AINews #AI #Teknoloji #MachineLearning #Haber 🔗 https://aihaberleri.org/en/news/eu-age-verification-app-hacked-in-120-seconds-how-a-critical-flaw-exposed-millions-in-2026
0 boosts · 0 favs · 0 replies · Apr 18, 2026
#ainews#ai#teknoloji#machinelearning#haber
@[email protected]
Hacking the EU’s New Age-Verification App Can Be Done in Just 2 Minutes Heading out for a major event at Madison Square Garden? Enjoy yourself—but consider this a […] The post Hacking the EU... #Artificial #Intelligence #Blog #AgeVerification #App #EUs #Hacking #Minutes Origin | Interest | Match
0 boosts · 0 favs · 0 replies · Apr 18, 2026
#artificial#intelligence#blog#ageverification#app#eus
@[email protected]
🛡️ #Cybersecurity news & tips across the #fediverse “It Takes 2 Minutes to Hack the EU’s New Age-Verification App https:// web.brid.gy/r/https://www.wire d.com/story/security-news-this-week-it-takes-2-minutes-to-hack-the-eus-new-age-verification-app/” https://web.brid.gy/r/https://www.wired.com/story/security-news-this-week-it-takes-2-minutes-to-hack-the-eus-new-age-verification-app/ 🤖 via RSS feed. Not an endorsement.
0 boosts · 0 favs · 0 replies · Apr 19, 2026
#cybersecurity#fediverse
@[email protected]
Good round up of security stuff. https://www.wired.com/story/security-news-this-week-it-takes-2-minutes-to-hack-the-eus-new-age-verification-app/ #infosec #privacy
0 boosts · 0 favs · 0 replies · Apr 19, 2026
#privacy#infosec
@[email protected]
@EUCommission, bro, this you? https://www.politico.eu/article/eu-brussels-launched-age-checking-app-hackers-say-took-them-2-minutes-break-it/ #EUCommission #EU #ageVerification #privacy #humanRights
30 boosts · 0 favs · 2 replies · Apr 19, 2026
#humanrights#privacy#ageverification#eu#eucommission