uidai-launches-new-aadhaar-app-to-ease-age-verification

The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) has launched a new Aadhaar app that can be used for age verification purposes under the Digital Personal Data Protection Act (DPDP Act), without requiring users to share any additional data, said a senior government official to a national daily. 

With the government tightening its grip on apps and social media platforms accessed by children, age verification assumes greater importance when it comes to online games, e-commerce ventures etc. to help them cut down access to age inappropriate content for children and teenagers.

Speaking at the launch of the app on January 28, S Krishnan, Secretary, Ministry of Electronics and IT, said the government had amended the Aadhaar Authentication for Good Governance (Social Welfare, Innovation, Knowledge) Rules, 2020, to enable private entities to provide service by using Aadhaar authentication on secure basis. 

 

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“We frequently contend within the ambit of the Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Act is age verification and how age verification will be done. I think we are in a position where, with the Aadhaar app, there is actually a way that age gating can seamlessly apply without oversharing the data,” he said.

The new app, which can be downloaded from app stores on mobile phones, will also help discourage the use of paper printouts of Aadhaar that are used by entities like hotels, cinema halls, online firms, and government offices for verifying an individual. 

UIDAI CEO Bhuvnesh Kumar said the app will enable digital verification for entities and share with them information that are required for providing service, besides easing access to Adhaar services like address and mobile number update. 

“Mobile number update can be done now on the Adhaar app without going to a centre. The facility of address update is already available but it has been built into this also,” he added. 

The app even has a contact card that enables users to share their contact with other people instead of a visiting card. 

Since it prohibits storage of Aadhaar data in any form, including photocopy by private entities, individuals can add up to five profiles on a single app of their family members.