UIDAI rolls out new Aadhaar app for privacy-first age verification

The Unique Identification Authority of India has launched a new Aadhaar mobile application that enables digital age verification without sharing unnecessary personal data, senior government officials said Wednesday.

Speaking at the launch event on Jan. 28, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology Secretary S. Krishnan said the app addresses one of the key challenges under the Digital Personal Data Protection Act — verifying age while safeguarding user privacy.

Krishnan said the government has amended the Aadhaar Authentication for Good Governance Rules, also known as the Swik Rules, 2020, allowing private entities to offer services using Aadhaar authentication in a secure manner.

“There has been continuous discussion around how age verification should be carried out within the framework of the DPDP Act,” he said. “With this Aadhaar app, age gating can be implemented seamlessly without oversharing data.”

He added that several companies are developing age-verification solutions, some of which were demonstrated at the Aadhaar event.

The age-gating feature is expected to help online platforms — including social media companies, gaming platforms and e-commerce services — verify users’ age before granting access. Officials said it could also reduce children’s exposure to age-inappropriate content and products.

The app, available for download from mobile app stores, enables individuals and service providers such as hotels, cinema halls and online firms to digitally verify identity. It is designed to reduce reliance on paper Aadhaar copies, which are still widely used for verification by private and government entities.

UIDAI Chief Executive Officer Bhuvnesh Kumar said the app also simplifies access to Aadhaar services, including mobile number updates, which can now be completed without visiting an Aadhaar center. Address update services, already available online, have been integrated into the app as well.

The app includes a digital contact card feature that allows users to share contact details electronically instead of using physical cards.

An Aadhaar holder can add up to five profiles — such as children or elderly parents — to a single app, even if they do not have separate mobile numbers. Officials said this will enable digital authentication of family members at airports, events and entertainment venues without submitting physical Aadhaar copies.

Under the Aadhaar Act, private entities are prohibited from storing Aadhaar data in any form, including photocopies. Officials said the new app reinforces consent-based digital verification while complying with the law.