On Monday, September 11th, the latest addition to the Austrian “eAusweise” wallet (digital ID wallet) has officially started: the digital age verification has been launched and is now officially recognized in Austria as the official proof of one’s age. Florian Tursky, State Secretary for Digitalization, introduced the new digital ID during a press conference on Monday, stating, “Until now, physical documents like a driver’s license have often been used for age verification, which reveal more information about the person than necessary, such as the full name and exact birthdate. The new digital age verification ensures maximum data security, as the verifying individual only sees a photo and whether the required age has been reached. Especially for young people, the digital age verification is a safe and modern way to prove their age, for example, to gain entry to nightlife establishments,” explained State Secretary Tursky during the presentation alongside representatives from the Austrian Chamber of Commerce (WKO).

Another successful launch for youniqx Identity

The digital age verification was developed by youniqx Identity AG, the digital subsidiary of the Austrian State Printing House (OSD). Since 2017, the OSD Group has been concentrating its expertise in secure digital identity within its in-house digital subsidiary, youniqx Identity AG. The successful launch of the digital age verification marks another milestone for youniqx Identity. Previously, the digital subsidiary had already developed the “eAusweise” app and the digital driver’s license for the Republic of Austria. With the in-house developed eID application “MIA” (“My Identity App”), youniqx Identity was already a pioneer in the field of electronic identities.

“MIA” had previously launched successfully in two European countries. Building on “MIA,” the Liechtenstein digital identity “eID.li” was customized to individual customer needs and launched in April 2020 with just a few months of development time. The flexible “MIA” covers multiple use cases, such as digital IDs or electronic health records. This expertise in digital identities and digital IDs was now utilized again in the development of the digital age verification for the Republic of Austria.

Security and data protection

The data for the digital age verification is stored locally on the individual’s device and protected through biometrics (fingerprint or facial recognition). Access to sensitive data is therefore only possible for the owner. Special attention was also given to “data minimalism” during development. Previously, in age verifications, physical documents like a driver’s license were often presented, inadvertently disclosing other personal information such as the first and last name and exact birthdate of the individual. The new digital age verification ensures maximum data security, as the verifying person now only sees a photo and whether the required age has been reached. Additional information such as the first and last name or the exact birthdate is not transmitted.

For more information about youniqx Identity, please visit https://www.youniqx.com/.

For more information about the digital age verification and the “eID” app, please visit https://www.digitalaustria.gv.at/ and https://www.oesterreich.gv.at/eausweise.

(Image credit: © BMF BKA/Christopher Dunker)