Spain to introduce 'porn passport': What is it, how does it work?

Spain is all set to launch a new mobile application to stop minors in the country from accessing pornographic content.

Part of the Spanish government's new Digital Wallet app, this 'porn passport' will not only verify a user's age before they can access porn, but will also maintain user anonymity.

The service, slated to be launched soon, will require adults to furnish their credentials using their electronic IDs, digital certificates, or 'the Cl@ve system' in order to access pornographic websites that are based in spain, reported OlivePress.

Once a user's age is verified, a pack 30 tokens valid for 30 days will be issued by the system to prevent frequent age checks. After these tokens are exhausted, however, age verification will be necessary again.

Access to porn sites

Under the new system, access to porn sites will take a different turn.

When typing the address of a porn site, a user will either get a QR code (if they are on their computer) or a link (if they are on their phone). Upon scanning the code/clicking the link, the Digital Wallet app will establish a connection and present credentials that prove that a user is of the appropriate age. This, of course, will be done anonymously without revealing details of the user.

The content provider, for its part, will verify the age of the user using the credentials furnished, and will allow or deny access depending on the user's age.

Privacy first

The above description of the process to access porn does come across as complex, but the Spanish government claims that the system will not only prevent underage users from accessing porn, but will be a more privacy-friendly way of doing so.