Italy
Italy created a binding age verification duty for adult content providers through Article 13-bis of Decreto-legge 15 settembre 2023, n. 123 (the Decreto Caivano, Youth Hardship Decree), converted with amendments by Legge 13 novembre 2023, n. 159. AGCOM (Autorita per le Garanzie nelle Comunicazioni, the Italian Communications Authority) adopted the implementing technical rules in Delibera n. 96/25/CONS of 8 April 2025, which became binding for Italy based platforms on 12 November 2025. Separately, Article 2-quinquies of the Codice in materia di protezione dei dati personali (Data Protection Code), inserted by Decreto Legislativo 101/2018, sets 14 as the minimum age at which a minor can independently consent to registering for an information society service such as a social media platform. Italy has no enacted national app store or device level age verification mandate; a government sponsored bill to bar social media and video sharing platform access for under 15s remained in pre-parliamentary drafting, still awaiting review by AGCOM and the data protection authority, as of mid 2026.
National jurisdiction. Reviewed 2026-07-15.
Decreto-legge 15 settembre 2023, n. 123 (Decreto Caivano, Youth Hardship Decree), Art. 13-bis, converted by Legge 13 novembre 2023, n. 159
Establishes a legal duty for website operators and video sharing platform providers that distribute pornographic images or videos in Italy to verify that users are adults before granting access, delegating the technical and process details to AGCOM.
- Citation
- D.L. 123/2023, Art. 13-bis, conv. con modificazioni dalla L. 159/2023
- Status
- In force
- Effective date
- 2023-11-14
- Applies to
- Private sector
- Age threshold
- 18
- Covered services
- Websites and video-sharing platforms distributing pornographic images or videos in Italy
- Penalties
- AGCOM may order the blocking of noncompliant sites or platforms after a formal warning and 20 day cure period, alongside administrative fines that AGCOM has stated can reach 250,000 euros
- Enforcement body
- AGCOM (Autorita per le Garanzie nelle Comunicazioni)
- Private right of action
- no
- Source
- D.L. 123/2023, Art. 13-bis, conv. con modificazioni dalla L. 159/2023
Delibera AGCOM n. 96/25/CONS dell'8 aprile 2025 (technical and process rules for age verification)
Adopts the binding technical and process rules that website managers and video-sharing platform providers must use to verify users are adults before granting access to pornographic content, using a dual anonymity model with independent certified third party verifiers so that neither the verifier nor the site learns both the user's identity and the service accessed. Providers established in Italy had six months from publication, until 12 November 2025, to comply; AGCOM published a list of about 48 covered pornographic sites on 31 October 2025, and providers not established in Italy had until 1 February 2026.
- Citation
- AGCOM Delibera n. 96/25/CONS (8 April 2025), published in Gazzetta Ufficiale 12 May 2025
- Status
- In force
- Effective date
- 2025-11-12
- Applies to
- Private sector
- Age threshold
- 18
- Verification methods
- third party service, digital id
- Covered services
- Websites and video-sharing platforms distributing pornographic content to users in Italy
- Penalties
- Formal warning with a 20 day cure period, followed by administrative fines of up to 250,000 euros and site or platform blocking orders for continued noncompliance
- Enforcement body
- AGCOM (Autorita per le Garanzie nelle Comunicazioni)
- Source
- AGCOM Delibera n. 96/25/CONS (8 April 2025), published in Gazzetta Ufficiale 12 May 2025
Codice in materia di protezione dei dati personali (Data Protection Code), Art. 2-quinquies, minimum age for social media consent
Sets 14 as the minimum age at which a minor can independently consent to processing of personal data for an information society service, including registering for a social media account. Providers must obtain parental consent for users under 14. This functions as Italy's de facto minimum social media registration age, though it is a data protection consent rule rather than a mandated identity verification requirement.
- Citation
- D.Lgs. 196/2003 (Codice Privacy), Art. 2-quinquies, inserted by D.Lgs. 101/2018
- Status
- In force
- Effective date
- 2018-09-19
- Applies to
- Private sector
- Age threshold
- 14
- Verification methods
- self declaration, parental consent
- Covered services
- Information society services, including social media platforms, offered directly to minors in Italy
- Enforcement body
- Garante per la protezione dei dati personali (Italian Data Protection Authority)
- Source
- D.Lgs. 196/2003 (Codice Privacy), Art. 2-quinquies, inserted by D.Lgs. 101/2018
Reviewed 2026-07-15. Confidence: high. Fast-moving area, verify before relying. Not legal advice.