The EU is rolling out its official age verification app according to the joint statement issued by EU President Ursula von der Leyen and Executive Vice-President Henna Virkkunen [emphasis added]:

It is our duty to protect our children in the online world, just as we do in the offline world. And to do that effectively, we need a harmonised European approach. One core topic is the question: how can we ensure that there is a Europe-wide technical solution for age verification? Today, I can announce that we have the answer. Our European age verification app is technically ready and soon available for citizens to use.

The aim of the app is allegedly to "protect children".

Of course, we know that's a lie. A lie so dated and tiresome it's become dull to refute it.

The idea of "protecting kids online" wasn't even mentioned when the pilot schemes for the EU Digital Identity Wallet were launched two years ago.