Google executive criticizes Meta's age verification approach as risky for children

Google's Global Director of Privacy Safety and Security Policy has issued sharp criticism of Meta's proposed age verification system, warning that the approach would create unnecessary risks for children while failing to address fundamental coverage gaps in digital age assurance.

Kate Charlet outlined Google's concerns in a comprehensive policy statement released on June 13, 2025, focusing on data privacy risks and coverage limitations in Meta's app store-based verification model. The criticism represents a significant escalation in the debate over how technology companies should implement age verification systems across digital platforms.

"Even more worryingly, it would require the sharing of granular age band data with millions of developers who don't need it," Charlet stated in her analysis of Meta's proposal. "We have strong concerns about the risks this 'solution' would pose to children."

Meta has advocated for requiring mobile application stores to verify visitor ages on behalf of applications, positioning this approach as simpler than platform-specific verification systems. However, Google's analysis identifies multiple limitations that challenge the proposal's effectiveness.

According to Charlet's assessment, Meta's approach "fails to cover desktop computers or other devices that are commonly shared within families." This coverage gap creates significant vulnerabilities in age verification systems, particularly for households where multiple family members use the same devices to access digital content.

The proposal also proves "ineffective against pre-installed apps, as Meta's often are," according to Google's analysis. Pre-installed applications frequently bypass app store verification mechanisms entirely, creating additional security vulnerabilities that Meta's approach cannot address.

Charlet emphasized that Meta's system would fundamentally violate data minimization principles central to modern privacy protection. The approach requires distributing detailed age information across the entire developer ecosystem, contradicting established standards that mandate processing only the minimum necessary data for specific purposes.

The criticism centers on fundamental data protection principles that prioritize child safety through privacy preservation rather than broad information sharing. Charlet's background includes extensive experience in government privacy policy, including roles at the Department of Defense and Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, informing Google's technical approach to age verification.

According to her LinkedIn profile, Charlet leads "Google's Privacy, Safety, and Security Center of Excellence" as the subject matter expert for global policy issues relating to privacy protection and child safety. This expertise underlies Google's opposition to verification models that distribute sensitive information broadly across technology platforms.

The data sharing requirements inherent in Meta's proposal create multiple vulnerability points for children's personal information. Each developer receiving age verification data represents a potential security risk, multiplying the attack surface for malicious actors seeking to access sensitive information about minors.

Meta has promoted its app store verification approach through advertising campaigns across European Union capitals, including Brussels and Paris. The company positions the solution as comprehensive since it would cover every social media platform through centralized verification mechanisms.

European regulatory response

Danish Digital Affairs Minister Caroline Stage Olsen has expressed frustration with Meta's lobbying approach to age verification policy. Speaking to POLITICO on June 20, 2025, Stage Olsen stated: "I must be honest here, I was furious when I saw that advertisement."

"It's ridiculous that they make an advertisement instead of just doing it [implementing age restrictions]," Stage Olsen continued. "I wish they would have spent the money on making a technical age verification solution instead of making a campaign stating how much they care."

The Danish minister's criticism reflects broader European skepticism toward Meta's approach. Denmark will assume the EU Council presidency in July 2025 and has identified child protection online as a key priority for the six-month presidency period.

Stage Olsen emphasized the financial resources available to Meta for developing technical solutions rather than promotional campaigns. "They are one of the most powerful companies, not just in Europe, but in the entire world. They have so much money that they earn on harvesting data from, of course, grown-ups, but also from children," she stated.

The debate highlights fundamental divisions within the technology industry regarding responsibility for age verification systems. Google advocates for platform-specific verification using zero-knowledge proof technology that enables age confirmation without revealing additional personal information.

Google's Credential Manager API creates secure pipelines for sharing identity information while maintaining privacy protections. The system allows sites and applications to request visitor credentials without accessing unnecessary personal data beyond age verification status.

According to Charlet's June 13 policy statement, Google's approach acknowledges "the need for a variety of methods, either on their own or in combination" rather than requiring universal adoption of specific verification mechanisms. This flexibility enables risk-based assessment approaches tailored to individual platform requirements.

The company has implemented its approach through partnerships with financial institutions, including Germany's Sparkasse savings bank network. This collaboration enables customers to prove their age online using trusted credentials issued by their bank through zero-knowledge proof cryptography.

Implications for digital advertising ecosystem

The age verification debate carries significant implications for digital advertising targeting and content delivery mechanisms. Platforms must balance child protection requirements with privacy preservation while maintaining effective advertising capabilities for age-appropriate audiences.

Google recently added age exclusion capabilities to Performance Max campaigns in April 2025, addressing advertiser requests for demographic targeting controls. YouTube increased its minimum live streaming age to 16 years starting July 22, requiring adult supervision for younger creators.

The regulatory landscape continues developing as European authorities balance child protection objectives with privacy rights and digital access concerns. The European Data Protection Board has outlined specific GDPR-compliant principles for age verification systems, emphasizing data minimization and privacy protection requirements.

Technical implementation challenges remain significant across the digital identity ecosystem. Standards must accommodate diverse verification methods while maintaining interoperability across platforms and national boundaries. The industry debate reflects broader tensions between comprehensive coverage and privacy preservation in child protection systems.

For marketing professionals, these developments signal potential changes in how age verification affects advertising targeting capabilities and compliance requirements. Platform-specific approaches may create different verification standards across advertising channels, requiring marketers to adapt strategies based on individual platform policies and technical capabilities.

The outcome of this debate could influence broader European age assurance policies and set precedents for global implementation of child protection systems in digital advertising environments.

Timeline

• June 13, 2025: Kate Charlet publishes comprehensive criticism of Meta's age verification approach in Google policy statement
• June 20, 2025: Danish Digital Affairs Minister Caroline Stage Olsen criticizes Meta's advertising campaign during POLITICO interview
• June 26, 2025: YouTube announces live streaming age restrictions increase to 16 years minimum
• July 1, 2025: Google announces partnership with Sparkasse for alternative age verification approach

Key Terms

Age Verification Digital age verification represents the technological process of confirming a user's age before granting access to age-restricted content or services. Marketing professionals must understand these systems as they directly impact campaign targeting capabilities and compliance requirements. Age verification affects how advertisers can reach specific demographic segments while maintaining regulatory compliance across different jurisdictions and platforms.

Zero-Knowledge Proof Technology This cryptographic method allows users to prove specific information, such as age status, without revealing additional personal details. For marketers, zero-knowledge proof technology represents a privacy-preserving approach to audience verification that maintains targeting capabilities while protecting user data. The technology enables age confirmation without compromising individual privacy or creating extensive data trails.

Data Minimization A fundamental privacy principle requiring organizations to process only the minimum personal data necessary for specific purposes. Marketing teams must implement data minimization practices in their campaigns, collecting and using only essential information for targeting and measurement. This principle affects how audience data can be gathered, stored, and utilized across advertising platforms and customer relationship management systems.

Demographic Targeting The practice of directing advertising content toward specific age groups, genders, or other demographic characteristics. Recent developments in age verification technology directly impact demographic targeting capabilities, as platforms implement stricter controls over how advertisers can reach age-specific audiences. Marketing professionals must adapt strategies to work within evolving demographic targeting constraints while maintaining campaign effectiveness.

Privacy Preservation The systematic protection of individual personal information throughout data collection, processing, and storage activities. Modern marketing operations must integrate privacy preservation principles into campaign design, audience targeting, and measurement practices. This approach affects how customer data can be utilized while maintaining compliance with privacy regulations and building consumer trust.

Digital Identity Verification The process of confirming user identity and attributes in online environments through various technological methods. For marketing applications, digital identity verification enables more accurate audience targeting and reduces fraud while creating trusted relationships between brands and consumers. The technology supports authentication processes that improve campaign effectiveness and measurement accuracy.

Compliance Requirements Legal and regulatory obligations that marketing activities must satisfy across different jurisdictions and platforms. Age verification systems create specific compliance requirements for advertisers targeting age-restricted products or services. Marketing teams must understand these requirements to avoid regulatory violations while maintaining effective audience reach and engagement strategies.

Platform-Specific Verification Age verification systems implemented individually by digital platforms rather than through centralized mechanisms. This approach affects how marketing campaigns must be adapted for different platforms, as each may have unique verification requirements and capabilities. Marketers must understand platform-specific verification systems to optimize campaign delivery and ensure compliance across multiple channels.

Audience Targeting Capabilities The technical ability to direct marketing content toward specific user segments based on various attributes and behaviors. Age verification developments directly impact audience targeting capabilities by affecting how platforms can identify and categorize users for advertising purposes. Marketing professionals must adapt targeting strategies as verification systems evolve and implement new restrictions or capabilities.

Campaign Optimization The process of improving marketing campaign performance through data analysis, testing, and strategic adjustments. Age verification systems affect campaign optimization by changing how audience data can be collected and utilized for performance improvement. Marketers must develop optimization strategies that work within privacy-preserving verification frameworks while maintaining campaign effectiveness and measurement accuracy.

Summary

Who: Kate Charlet, Google's Global Director of Privacy Safety and Security Policy, with extensive background in government privacy policy and child protection.

What: Sharp criticism of Meta's proposed app store-based age verification system, citing technical flaws, privacy risks, and inadequate child protection measures.

When: Outlined in comprehensive policy statement released June 13, 2025, amid ongoing European regulatory discussions on age assurance.

Where: Criticism emerges during European Union policy development on age verification, with Denmark preparing to prioritize child protection during EU Council presidency.

Why: Meta's approach would require sharing detailed age data with millions of developers, creating unnecessary privacy risks for children while failing to cover desktop computers and shared family devices.