Spain launches digital wallet and credential for access to online porn

People in Spain will soon have to use their digital ID with a government-issued digital wallet to visit pornographic websites.

The app will perform age verification, and then issue a credential valid for 30 days, which allows users 18 and older to access porn online, The Local (subscription required) reports. The government is expected to make the app available by the end of the summer.

Spaniards will be able to use their national digital ID, the DNI, an FNMT Digital Certificate, or the Cl@ve administrative digital ID to register for the new credential which Spanish press are calling “pajaporte,” a portmanteau of slang for masturbation and “passport.” The credential will be held in a Beta Digital Wallet (“Cartera Digital Beta”), which can also hold the digital ID and other credentials.

The age assurance rules apply to Spain-based adult content providers, but the National Cybersecurity Institute (INCIBE) will keep a list of foreign porn providers with the intent of enforcing age verification through web browsers, according to the report. The Ministry of Digital Transformation is also seeking collaboration with social media platforms and messaging apps.

The technical specifications for the digital wallet specify that it uses OpenID for Verifiable Presentations (OpenID4VP). The website presents a QR code that the user would scan with their mobile device.

The credential works on a limited-disclosure principle, and the number of visits per site that each porn credential can be used for is limited to minimize the risk of users being tracked, a government official says, according to El Pais.

The Spanish government intends for the system to align with eIDAS2 and comply with EU rules for age assurance to access pornography, which are expected to take effect in October, 2027.

Spain is in the midst of upgrading its digital identity system, and the Nexus digital wallet from Veridas was launched to the country earlier this year.

Article Topics

age verification  |  biometrics  |  children  |  digital ID  |  digital wallets  |  face biometrics  |  OpenID4VP  |  social media  |  Spain