UIDAI launches new Aadhaar app for secure age verification under DPDP Act

New Delhi: The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) has launched a new Aadhaar mobile application that allows age verification without sharing additional personal data, a move aimed at strengthening privacy under the Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Act, a senior government official said on Wednesday.

Speaking at the launch event on January 28, Ministry of Electronics and IT Secretary S. Krishnan said the app enables seamless age gating while ensuring minimal data sharing. He added that age verification remains a key concern under the DPDP framework, especially for digital platforms.

“With the Aadhaar app, there is now a way that age gating can seamlessly apply without oversharing data,” Krishnan said.

Enables Secure Age Gating for Digital Platforms:

• The age-verification feature is expected to help social media platforms, online gaming companies, e-commerce firms and digital service providers restrict access to age-inappropriate content or products for children.
• To facilitate this, the government has amended the Aadhaar Authentication for Good Governance (Swik) Rules, 2020, allowing private entities to use Aadhaar authentication on a secure and consent-based basis.

Reduces Dependence on Paper Aadhaar Copies:

• The new app, available on mobile app stores, enables digital identity verification for services at hotels, cinema halls, airports, events and online platforms, discouraging the widespread use of paper photocopies of Aadhaar, which is prohibited under the Aadhaar Act.

Multiple Profiles and New Features:

• UIDAI CEO Bhuvnesh Kumar said the app also allows users to update mobile numbers directly, access address update services and use a digital contact card instead of paper-based visiting cards.
  Notably, users can add up to five Aadhaar profiles, such as children or parents, on a single app, enabling easy digital authentication even for those without separate mobile numbers.

The Aadhaar Act strictly prohibits storage of Aadhaar data by private entities, and officials reiterated that the new app complies fully with existing privacy safeguards.