"The consultation mentions audit trails will support the enforcement of right-to-work checks. When Tony Blair's Labour government introduced ID cards in the 2000s, audit trails of when, where, and how people used the scheme had a different purpose. Former Home Secretary Charles Clarke argued the move would make life harder for terrorist suspects."
"Initially, Brits are unlikely to use Sir Keir Starmer's digital ID scheme more than once or twice a year - it will launch covering right-to-work checks and possibly vehicle tax, and remains optional after the prime minister U-turned on mandating it for new employees."
"As its uses expand, the audit trail it generates will draw growing interest from both law enforcement and privacy campaigners - offering, for instance, a timestamped map of every pub a young person visited on a Friday night."
"The consultation discusses what alternatives it could offer to digital IDs held on people's smartphones. Estonia's compulsory identity system, for example, lets citizens choose how they use it, with around two-thirds having a physical smartcard, half using a smartphone app, and a fifth having a special SIM card that works with any type of mobile."
The UK government's recent consultation on digital identity is missing crucial information, including cost estimates and the duration of audit trail records. The audit trails are intended to support right-to-work checks, but their implications for privacy and law enforcement are significant. Initially, the digital ID scheme will be used infrequently, but as its applications grow, the audit trail will attract attention. Alternatives to smartphone-based IDs are being considered, yet the government appears focused on smartphone solutions despite potential drawbacks.
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