The UK Has It Wrong on Digital ID. Here's Why.

"In late September, the United Kingdom's Prime Minister Keir Starmer his government's plans to introduce a new digital ID scheme in the country to take effect before the end of the Parliament (no later than August 2029). The scheme will, " in proving people's identities by creating a virtual ID on personal devices with information like people's name, date of birth, nationality or residency status, and photo to verify their right to live and work in the country."

"This is the latest example of a government creating a new digital system that is fundamentally incompatible with a privacy-protecting and human rights-defending democracy. This past year alone, we've seen federal agencies across the United States explore digital IDs to prevent fraud, the Transportation Security Administration accepting " Digital passport IDs " in Android, and contracting with mobile driver's license providers (mDL)."

"In his initial announcement, Starmer : "You will not be able to work in the United Kingdom if you do not have digital ID. It's as simple as that." Since then, the government has been forced to those remarks: digital ID will be mandatory to prove the right to work, and will only take effect after the scheme's proposed introduction in 2028, rather than retrospectively."

Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced plans to introduce a digital ID scheme to take effect before the end of Parliament, no later than August 2029. The scheme will create virtual IDs on personal devices containing name, date of birth, nationality or residency status, and a photo to verify the right to live and work in the United Kingdom. Government statements indicated digital ID will be mandatory to prove the right to work and will take effect after the scheme's proposed 2028 introduction rather than retrospectively. Critics warn the system enables state control over access to services, raises privacy and human-rights concerns, risks mission creep, and may disadvantage people without digital access.

Read at Electronic Frontier Foundation