The Digital Services Act (DSA) was amended just before it became law to prohibit the use of algorithmic programming to target advertisements at children under 18.
While a challenge for the ad industry, it is also a wider issue for all websites which carry advertising, as if they wish to allow any targeted ads on their site, they will need to determine which of their users are not children.
This new law due to come into force at the end of 2023 will be a major driver of the need for age assurance across the EU.