Is the European Union implementing a digital wallet for its citizens, with the purpose of controlling their purchases and behaviours, restricting what they can buy and punishing them when they step out of line? No, that's not true: the European Digital Identity, which is still being developed, aims to make it easier for people to access public services and make online transactions accross EU borders.
The claim originated from a video published by TikTok user @swaperaent on April 23, 2023 with following description:
"They want to control us everywhere! #fy #sorinconstantinescu #speakermotivational #romania #educatiefinanciară #controlulpopulatiei #politica #monedadigitala #chatgpt #viral"
This is what the post looked like on TikTok at the time of writing:
According to the European Commission, the digital wallet will give users full control to choose which aspects of their identity data they share with third parties, and keep track of such sharing. The EU is considering its options when it comes to implementing the new digital wallet, especially when it comes to matters of privacy, according to a European Parliament press release. As a result, MEPs are designing safeguards and ensuring the continuation of the principle already used with the COVID-19 Digital Certificate: that the wallet cannot track users' behaviour across different interactions.
European lawmakers are hoping to bring the digital wallet to 80% of the EU's citizens by 2030. The wallet will contain drivers' licenses, health cards, passports, tickets, school reports, credit cards, membership certificates, etc, according to CoinTelegraph. While the UK offers its residents several private e-wallet options, there is no news of "experimental" stores allowing people to buy certain things based on their previous purchases and carbon footprint, allegedly stored on the digital wallet.
Sorin Constantinescu, the speaker in the video, is a former gambling industry leader and motivational speaker, who now spreads his right-wing conservative views on his YouTube channel.
(Source: TikTok screenshot taken on Thu May 11 13:29:25 2023 UTC)
