What's the story with the new ID stuff?

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Oghamstoner@reddit

Usually when you give up some of your personal data, it is an exchange freely given for a tangible benefit. You have a driving licence which permits you to drive a car, you have a passport which permits you to travel abroad.

Now how do you think people will feel about having no choice in the matter and get nothing in return.

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spidertattootim@reddit

What personal data do you have to give up for the id cards?

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Oghamstoner@reddit

Name, dob, address, face, NI number, academic history, employment history. That’s all for certain. Potentially biometrics like blood type, fingerprint, retina scan, maybe medical history.

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spidertattootim@reddit

Name, dob, address, face, NI number

All of which the government already have (unless you don't have a driving license or passport).

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r_mutt69@reddit

I think this is the most common sense way of looking at it. They already have the info. It’s just being used as a political football to bash the government.

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Awkward_War_6068@reddit

Dane here looking in. This is why the pushback against this absolutely confuses me. Over here we have a system called MitID "MyID." It's basically an app that allows you to access your bank, personal info, mail from authorities etc using your Social Security number. From what I understand, that's basically what Starmer's idea is. To allow ease of access to the Public Sector. MitID has been hugely succesful, it has multiple modes to allow ease of use to even pensioners and it relies on two-factor authentication, which can range from passwords to finger prints. Idk if it's just a cultural thing, but to me it makes so much more sense to have this than not.

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gnu_andii@reddit

It's not so much about them having it as who else could get hold of it, when it's being passed around digitally.

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spidertattootim@reddit

All that information is already stored digitally...?

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MINKIN2@reddit

In separate databases. Now if you had all of that information in the one system, then it would make it easier to get ALL of your information in the one data breach.

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gnu_andii@reddit

Exactly, or even just for the government to combine information about you more easily.

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IHoppo@reddit

Can you explain how all of that is for certain if the bill hasn't been drafted please.

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Oghamstoner@reddit

It’s based on what the govt have already said about the digital ids. It wasn’t in Labour’s manifesto, so they have no mandate to introduce it.

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IHoppo@reddit

They're in government, an election manifesto isn't, and hasn't ever been, a document limiting a government to what they can do - it states some of the things they expect to do.

Can you point me to where you got your information from please - all I can find is this: "The UK government's digital ID will initially require a name, date of birth, photo, and nationality/residency status for identity verification, with a public consultation to decide if address and other attributes should be included.". Thanks

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MINKIN2@reddit

with a public consultation to decide if address and other attributes should be included

You really think they will ask the public if other attributes if other tributes are to be added when they are already pushing through the Digital ID against the public consensus?

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IHoppo@reddit

Yes, because I'm not a trade unionist from the 1970's being led by undercover members of the police, who keep coming up with increasingly wild ideas to prove their innocence.

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Able_Resident_1291@reddit

Source: trust me, bro

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WritesCrapForStrap@reddit

It's just an ID you have on your phone, and they're requiring it for proving your right to work when you get a new job.

The crazies have heard "digital ID" and they think that means they'll need it to log onto websites or whatever, and when you tell them they're wrong they start shouting about how we're sliding into autocracy.

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Luxxe-tbh@reddit

What makes a digital ID a better option than a national insurance number for proving right to work?

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Lopsided_Soup_3533@reddit

Considering how often I've lost my driving licence going digital will be great for me. As much as I loathe the government the .gov website is actually pretty good.

I'm also disabled and have piss poor phone reception so the more I can do digitally the better.

That said I think it should be entirely voluntary whether ppl go digital or not

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T_KVT@reddit

You literally don't even understand what digital is.

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Lopsided_Soup_3533@reddit

Gfy

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Luxxe-tbh@reddit

So wouldn’t it be better just to implement a voluntary digital driving licence? As an option? Why the digital ID stuff. It basically is just a data leak waiting to happen and doesn’t offer anything more than a National Insurance number in terms of right to work status. Talk about a waste of taxpayer money.

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Electronic_Cream_780@reddit

I think it is quite a good idea. Knowing our govt they will make a total mess of it and it will cost 3x of whatever budget they start with & still won't talk to half the systems it needs to (see IT in the NHS) but the Big Brother arguments are catastrophised

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WallofWolfSleep@reddit

Anybody who cares about this is some lunatic conspiracy theorist, probably hanging flags off lampposts.

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Stinkinhippy@reddit

My thoughts are it won't have any information that the government don't already have.. So long as database is more secure than the outside companies they gave contracts to for this online safety bullshit then i just don't care enough to protest it.

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becca413g@reddit

I’m not a fan of the digital ID from how it’s being described but just a normal ID card would be fantastic for those of us who can’t get a driving license. It’s more costly and inconvenient to have to carry a passport around.

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gnu_andii@reddit

Can you not get a provisional license?

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becca413g@reddit

I have lost some of my sight so don’t have a driving licence anymore.

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gnu_andii@reddit

Ah ok, sorry to hear that. I've no intention of driving, but ended up getting a provisional for exactly the reason you mention; you don't want to be carrying around an expensive bulky passport.

I have no issue with a simple card either, much like that driving license that isn't for driving, especially if it's cheaper. It's the "let's create a huge digital trail" thing that I'm wary of.

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Danny_boy90@reddit

You need one if you want to work if you don't want to work then you don't have to get one

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Ragemonk7@reddit

in a perfect world it could be a great boon to the british pubkic if we have people who are not perfect in government who bring it in or after it is brought in who have servere authoritarian designs they will have the tools to do it i.e china

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simonjp@reddit

It's such a strange own-goal.

They had been talking about setting up an OAuth-like setup* But by labelling it a Digital ID they've stirred up all the old ID card arguments again.

* You know how when you go to a website they might offer to let you set up an account using your Google login? So rather than replacing your NHS number, National Insurance, number, driving licence, passport, Universal Credit ID, UTR... instead it would just mean you would have one username and password that would allow you to log in to their services. No new data links between systems.

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Shkrimtare@reddit

I think it's worth being concerned. They brought in e-visas for asylum seekers etc. and it has gone VERY badly. No reason to think digital ID cards would be better. Plus, it requires everyone to have a smartphone - many people don't want one and shouldn't be forced. And who's doing the data collection and security? Outsourced, presumably. So just how well is the data security guaranteed?

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Prestigious-Gold6759@reddit

Where will all the data be stored too?

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fieldsofanfieldroad@reddit

Welcome to the UK, Palantir. For anyone who doesn't know who that it's who funded the US vice president and are buying up all the data contracts.

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Prestigious-Gold6759@reddit

I mean physically, where will all the data storage be?

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thekgr@reddit

Wetherspoons bathroom, where we keep all our confidential data, of course.

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chloe_h76@reddit

Oh dear, that's not going to work well. My elderly relatives don't have and probably can't use a smartphone 😬

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moist-v0n-lipwig@reddit

I think you only need one when getting a new job. So hopefully they’ll be fine.

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ExposingYouLot@reddit

Until you need it to show in the bank / building society etc...

There's so many unknowns with it which in my mind they are deliberately keeping from us... THAT'S the concern for me

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eleanornatasha@reddit

I saw a video of Starmer earlier where he claimed that it wouldn’t be a requirement for people to have it, though I’m not sure how that works with the previous statements that it would be required to prove RTW. But in the video he said that passports etc would still be accepted as proof of identity, then also said no fines for anyone who doesn’t use DigiID but that there’s an £85 service that can be used for proof of identity. The way it was worded sounded as if this £85 service already exists, but it isn’t something I’ve come across before as showing a British passport and birth certificate has always been sufficient for anything I’ve needed ID for, but it’s certainly possible I’ve just not come across it.

Overall, the way the video was worded was definitely portraying DigiID as a free, simple, optional service, which doesn’t really track with the previous statements that it’s intended to fully replace existing RTW checks. I guess we have to just wait for further clarification, if it turns out it’s just an optional way to make ID checks easier then I don’t have an issue, but if it’s required for anything then that can start to affect certain demographics unfairly.

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AcanthocephalaOne285@reddit

Don't be so naive.

They will not release the long term plan at the same time as trying to convince the nation to accept it. Thats the best way to turn everyone against it.

We already have perfectly acceptable practices in place for RTW checks, so ask yourself, what can a digital ID do that your passport can't?

Across the 40 years of my life, the one sure thing that I have learnt about politicians is that they can't be trusted. They do not act in the nations best interests. The merry go round of prime ministers allows them to say, well yes, but that was the guy before so my hands are clean.

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eleanornatasha@reddit

I never said I’m for it, just that I don’t have an issue if it’s optional. Because then nobody has to opt-in.

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LordBrixton@reddit

All company directors are being FORCED to have it already. Starmer is either mistaken, or lying.

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Norman_debris@reddit

There are no bank branches left anyway so we'll be fine.

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sideone@reddit

You can do banking in post offices now.

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ExposingYouLot@reddit

Not without your new ID card... (maybe)

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Evening-Tomatillo-47@reddit

If you can find one!

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moist-v0n-lipwig@reddit

Yes fair point, they could definitely extend this out. Such a pointless waste of money.

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Paulstan67@reddit

But we already have to prove our eligibility to work, so this is just another non method. That's my concern.

Kier and my local MP are very adamant that it's JUST for proving work eligibility, yet they then also talk about using it for all sorts of id to make things easier? Which is it? My MP and the PM (even) in their short term of office have a history of changing their minds or "twisting" the truth.

Some could call them liars for promising one thing and then doing another.

I personally don't see the point of a digital ID. Especially when we already have plenty of id available.

Scrap driving licence, scrap NI cards/numbers ,scrap birth certificates, marriage certificates, decree nisi (for divorced people), etc etc..

If this new ID is just for jobs, why isn't the current system stopping illegal workers? Ask yourself that?

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moist-v0n-lipwig@reddit

I’m not defending it for one second, I think it’s totally pointless and a huge waste of money. I was just replying specifically to the person who was concerned about his elderly relatives. For now at least, they should be unaffected.

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HumorPsychological60@reddit

And more vulnerable to cyber terrorism too..imagine whole records of people being erased

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X2seraphim@reddit

Not only that, they say if implemented it will take years just falling into the expected window of the advent of quantum hacking. Do you trust the powers to secure your data then, personally I don’t trust them now look how nhs data was sold.

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Formal_Boss_94@reddit

Everyone should care. Look into how the Chinese are living with their social credit score and it will give you an idea of what is in store for us.

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DangerToManifold2001@reddit

The social credit score is a myth, it doesn’t exist

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crooktimber@reddit

The very well-documented and widely discussed Chinese social credit system doesn't exist?

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DangerToManifold2001@reddit

The social credit system was trialled briefly, pretty much doesn’t exist at all at this point, but a social credit ‘score’ specifically has never existed. Perhaps you should have a read of these documents you speak of?

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Formal_Boss_94@reddit

I suggest you look into it a little bit further.

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DangerToManifold2001@reddit

I have, that’s how I know it’s a myth. Perhaps you should try visiting China and speaking to the people who actually live there?

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Infinite-Finity@reddit

That's why I'm worried - the Western elites always accuse others of what they themselves are doing.

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Orange_Codex@reddit

Cash is king. This is the first step to us becoming China.

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Dangeruss82@reddit

If you honestly believe the government won’t use the digital id to encroach on your life then you’re a moron. That’s precisely what it’s for.

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thecowsbollocks@reddit

Agree and if Palantir are involved it will go much deeper than this.

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Dangeruss82@reddit

And taking conspiracy stuff out of it, you’ve only got to go watch any WEF video about the stuff they want to implement - carbon credits, vaccine passports, forcing people stop eating meat etc and the fact that pretty much every western government, especially starmer et al, all willing flock to their conferences and invite them to Downing Street for closed door meets should absolutely terrify anyone with an ounce of common sense.

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Able_Resident_1291@reddit

taking conspiracy stuff out of it, you’ve only got to go watch any WEF video

Amazing sentence here, well done.

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Dangeruss82@reddit

Thanks. That just shows how ignorant you are because, listen carefully, watch any WEF (world economic forum) video. You’ll find a plethora of them where they talk about, again, listen carefully, what they wish to implement. It’s not a conspiracy theory when they’re literally saying it. If you can read, I suggest you read Covid 19 the great reset by klaus Schwab. It literally lays out his and the WEF’s policies and wishes. Literally. Right there in black and white. Now you could argue this is just a perfect scenario wish list of what they deem a perfect world, but, and this is the important part here, when all the western world leaders regularly meet behind closed doors doors with them at Davos and other such places, then, just by coincidence they start to implement little things here and there, like say, carbon tracking(Nat west) digital id, stuff like that. You might want to take your head out or your arse and start paying attention. Have a great day.

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Able_Resident_1291@reddit

Tell you what, I won't do any of that, but when you see me in the forced labour camps a few years from now you can say "I told you so"

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Infinite-Finity@reddit

Here is my problem.

Digital ID is the end of history. Let's say in ten years somebody comes up with an idea that is fantastic for the public but not so good for the wealthy elites who will hold power over this system.

Let's say this idea starts to gain traction. People start to meet and gather to discuss how to implement this new, world changing idea.

Suddenly, they find their digital ID switched off. They are cut out of society, they are cut off from transportation, internet communication, housing, and as a result the idea dies. The social hierarchy is maintained. It is no longer possible to challenge the power that is concentrated at the top of the pyramid. There will not be any return from this scenario.

The unfair power structures embedded within our society will never be changed. Even discussion of change will be easily crushed and removed from public discourse. Forever.

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T_KVT@reddit

Having every facet of life tied to a single digital ID is a scary thing. It means the end of privacy, total surveillance, and total control.

It sounded crazy a feq years ago when people claimed they might limit your allowance of beef products, but it doesn't anymore.

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Timely_Egg_6827@reddit

I got brought up by a trade unionist of the 60s - his big worry about ID cards is if they link you to behaviour the state disapproves of. At the moment, we have about many different systems - DVLA, tax, passport, benefits, National Insurance, NHS, voting registration, council tax, police numbers if relevant and none of them talk to one another.

One ID number that does that and suddenly you can't leave the country, access your bank, access health services, vote, opt into online services. It is a very unlikely scenario but then they used card indices to deport people to labour camps before. And my father grew up on the tales of the Times where they brought tanks to George Square (parked in street over and not used) to put down the trade union movement there in 1919.

It will improve goverrnment efficiency, probably help assess things like immigration, simplify systems and may be a an overal cost saver. But if it gets hacked or misused by a government, then it is worrying. Inefficient, siloed systems can have benefits.

And I realise this might sound like a conspiracy theory as to the government. Think online hackers much bigger risk.

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Azuras-Becky@reddit

I dunno, if Reform gets into power as seems likely then this will have laid the groundwork for exactly that sort of abuse.

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Timely_Egg_6827@reddit

I don't think unique to Reform. Be useful to automatically garnish your bank account if your electricity usage goes above a maximum threshold for your type of household. The control freaks of all political parties could put this type of system to some use and once in place, there would be mission creep as it is a cheap and universal platform to build on.

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fieldsofanfieldroad@reddit

Socialist revolution?

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Illustrious_Bit3557@reddit

The government have decided to implement something no one asked for. Nothing new here.

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LordBrixton@reddit

I am gravely concerned about this program, simply because it's quite clear that no-one at any level of government (of any party) has the first clue about IT procurement and I am pretty sure all our data will be packaged up in a leaky shitshow of a system that will become an identity theft supermarket within days of implementation

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Kind_Ad5566@reddit

My concern is how they plan to link them. Medical records, driving license etc all in one place.

In a few years time a new government could introduce "ID card to buy a pint" Imagine your doctor thinks you drink too much and decides to limit the amount you can buy.

Now, that's extreme, but scope creep happens to everything the govt touches, and who's to say what egotistical extreme party might be in charge in the future.

Imagine how Trump could use this to limit the freedom of people he considers unworthy.

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AcanthocephalaOne285@reddit

Imagine the only way you get life or car insurance is if they can link up to your ID card that shares you had that pint.

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tblc365@reddit

I saw it as an extension of everyone having a national insurance number so would be in favour. Would make syncing up systems far easier.

Can imagine we'd overcomplicate it and make it a consultants wet dream

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Shkrimtare@reddit

It's a massive overcomplication. Just start issuing NI cards with a photo on - job done.

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Pigbin-Josh@reddit

Don't be daft. How are they going to link your bank account, Internet habits, voting history, vists to over-18s only venues with the NI card?!

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SavingsRemarkable624@reddit

What’s Northern Ireland got to do with this?

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tblc365@reddit

Basically this. Digitalise national insurance cards

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LeadingAssignment214@reddit

If it was just that, I'd have less of a problem. But it's way bigger scope than that - and these days I've got zero faith in the government and their ability to implement this. Even worse - it'll take years to implement, it'll go over budget, and get even worse when there's a change in government at our next election.

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No_Doubt_About_That@reddit

Or the dream of a mate of a cabinet member when the contract goes out

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hypertyper85@reddit

It would be convenient I guess, but with the amount of cyber attacks.. is it really safe and can we trust the government to have the highest security. Dunno, hopefully we get a choice though. Think I'd choose to keep my passport, Insurance No as it is.

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benevanstech@reddit

Well, we seem to have our share of crazies in this thread, never mind FB.

Speaking as a computer systems architect: It's going to be an expensive white elephant, handing over tons of public cash to Oracle, Palantir, etc as well as the usual consulting numpties, and like every other major Government project of this scale, will be years later, massively overbudget and creaking at the seams by the time it actually arrives due to scope creep.

It's not needed, it's not wanted and we've just seen what a hijacked government can do in just a few months. Would rather not give any Govt the tools to do something similar in the UK.

But Blair has been being courted by BigTech for a while now, and he was always keen on ID cards and surveilance.

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Cold-Society3325@reddit

The UK is daft about any sort of ID. I think a digital ID will make my life easier. The only issue is whether the cyber security is sufficient but since that's an issue for us online anyway, I don't think it's a huge deal.

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Electric_Death_1349@reddit

We've never done the "wo sind deine Papiere!" shit - this wasn't in the Labour manifesto; nobody voted for this, and hardly anybody wants it

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Cold-Society3325@reddit

How do you know hardly anyone wants it? Have you done a survey? Don't believe what's in the media. Most people probably have no opinion because they don't understand it and there will be plenty of people in favour.

Governments enact far more than is in their manifestos, thus is no different.

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Electric_Death_1349@reddit

Three million signed a petition against it; and there was a huge protest against it last week

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Cold-Society3325@reddit

And how is 3 million most people? Do you know what the other 66 million people think?

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Electric_Death_1349@reddit

Support for it is around 14% of the population: https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2025/oct/01/keir-starmer-labour-collapse-public-support-digital-id-cards?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other

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Cold-Society3325@reddit

All that article tells us is that people are being influenced by their general view of the government, not what they think of digital ID cards. It says more than half of people were in favour a fews months ago. That level of variability indicates most people haven't really thought about it and they are being influenced by other factors.

That being said, it's a poll which means they'll have asked a few thousand people at most. Polling can be reasonably accurate in some situations like voting intention immediately before an election but it's a much poorer indicator of things like complex opinions.

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Electric_Death_1349@reddit

So a poll is only valid when you agree with the result - gotcha

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Cold-Society3325@reddit

No. Both the summer poll and the later poll need to be treated with equal caution. That's why I said "That being said ..." I was caveating my own point by noting that the evidence comes from a poll which needs to be treated with caution.

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terryjuicelawson@reddit

I can only think of a few mildly useful holes it will fill, the main concern really is they are bound to make an expensive shitshow of its implementation.

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Cold-Society3325@reddit

I'm not going to argue with you on implementation. We have a poor record of implementing tech things in government.

Personally, I think government should introduce it on a fully voluntary basis. You'll get some early adopters. If it is useful, you'll then get lots of people going for it. Eventually it will be normalised and all young people will do it. Finally, so few people will hold out that you can then make it compulsory. People are always wary of new things.

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nacnud_uk@reddit

Start here maybe https://www.instagram.com/reel/DQL-GuviCdq

You'll get up to speed

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withnailstail123@reddit

Will digital ID replace Passports? No

Will digital ID replace NI numbers ? No

Will digital ID replace DVLA / driving licence? No

Will digital ID replace PASS ID ? No

So what’s it actually for ???

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amanset@reddit

Secure access to government services.

As an example, I live in Sweden and am a type one diabetic, so I use health care a lot. We have a system called BankID (an ID that is ultimately issued by banks but can only been issued using a national ID card or passport) and which is used to authenticate when logging in to services connected to the state. For example, I use it to log in to Försäkringskassan, which is the equivalent of the DWP, when I need use their services.

Using BankID, I can go to the likes of 1177.se, which is a portal for healthcare. I log in, using my BankID to authenticate, and I have access to all my medical records, prescription data, communication with the hospital and GP. Thought this portal I can book appointments, renew prescriptions, communicate with doctors and nurses, see test results and whatnot, This is not stored on the same database that BankID uses, it just uses BankID for authentication, ultimately supplying my ID number to the portal.

I can use my BankID for the website of any chemist. I authenticate using my BankID which then gives it access my prescription records. I can thus easily just order any of my prescriptions from any chemist and get it delivered to me. I can even renew prescriptions via the chemist. Of course I can do the exact same with any physical chemist via the scanning of my driver's licence (which doubles as an ID. I also have a national ID card and a passport, both of which can do the same thing).

Maybe the UK works the same, it has been a long time since I lived there. But what I see is that it means that systems that you really want to be able to talk to each other can easily and that means things work a lot better for the end user.

Incidentally, my very first job in Sweden was working on a piece of software that was used for communication between chemists and GPs for things like the passing of prescription data. This was back in the 90s and I had just moved from the UK where everything was done with bits of paper.

It is important to remember that BankID is used for authentication. A common thing to hear is people thinking there is one huge database somewhere with everything on it. There isn't. People who say things like that have no idea how distributed systems actually work. The BankID people know nothing about my medical records and don't have access to them. Nor my DWP equivalent records.

BTW BankID is also used for other things. You know that system where you receive an SMS when using your card online to check that it is a legitimate purchase? We don't do that, partly because SMS is inherently insecure. We use BankID. The website I am purchasing from gives me a QR code to scan, I scan it in the BankID app, approve it and then the purchase goes through. I also use it for Swish, the system for easily sending money between people.

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withnailstail123@reddit

UK has also has an NHS number and NHS app to access all medical matters.

The proposed UK digital ID is separate from all 5 digital forms of identification that we already have in place.

At this point I feel it’s just a money making scheme that Labour has been trying to push for decades.

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WeDoingThisAgainRWe@reddit

Broke government proposing to do a huge data grab of the entire population. What’s to worry about there?/s

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amanset@reddit

They already have your data.

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WeDoingThisAgainRWe@reddit

In disorganised batches that they can’t properly join up. Which makes it not particularly sellable.

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withnailstail123@reddit

This proposed digital ID has zero correlation to the others we already have , it’s another disorganised 6th

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Cantabulous_@reddit

There’s an entire industry built around correlation of data fragments and digital fingerprinting, what do you think Plantir and even the online advertising industry does? At least we could codify the collection and use into law this way.

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withnailstail123@reddit

Exactly… why another ?

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amanset@reddit

That's the point that you don't seem to get. The UK requires a different thing for each service.

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withnailstail123@reddit

The digital ID won’t be replacing any of the valid 5 digital ID’s we already have .. that IS the point

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RockyStoney@reddit

This is the sort of thing I'd be on board with, and it would make so much sense

However, I doubt that's what our government has in mind Nor do I believe they'd execute it anywhere near as well

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mutantpraxis@reddit

It's one of Larry Ellison's crank ideas, and he paid Tony Blair Institute a lot of money to lobby Keir Starmer.

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RockyStoney@reddit

In theory, it's a solid idea. Linking NI and a photograph to a single thing, and making it appropriate to use for jobs, banks, etc., great idea. As long as they also made it free and accessible to everyone, homeless, elderly, disabled, physical card option, etc.

However, I don't trust this government with shit. Given the recent OSA and how absolutely shambolic that has been, not to mention the fact it's censorship in a cloak. I don't trust them not to sell the contract to someone who can't protect it, like they've done with the OSA. I don't doubt they'd want to link this mandatory ID to that as well.

They recently announced the first steps are a digital veterans card, and driving licence. So, a usually disenfranchised group that likely has an older average age. And the other being kinda moot as police can find your details if you don't have your licence on you. They've also said it won't be retroactive, so only new job seekers from 2028 will require it. So already it's just a piss poor job, on something that's mostly unnecessary, with their reasoning being absolute bullshit, trying to push something that Tony Blair wants.

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Rahhh-Babberrr@reddit

It’s all very well for this government to bring them in, but a huge cause for concern is how future governments will use them. And the likelihood is governments are going to get more right-wing for the foreseeable future.

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dolphineclipse@reddit

Yes, this is my worry too - the current government aren't involved in any sinister conspiracies, they're just bungling incompetents. But once set up, it's open to abuse.

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TastyYellowBees@reddit

It’s one of many steps along the path that the establishment has been taking over the last few decades to turn this country into a perfected totalitarian society.

Most of the steps have been small enough to go unnoticed by the general population, or have been accompanied by a significant mass behavioural science campaign to sway opinion.

Starmer and the current government are both so utterly useless and have such tremendous disdain for the people that they ‘kinda forgot about’ the propaganda requirements. I expect they will be ramp them up in the coming months (STOP THE MIGRANTS/SAVE THE CHILDREN/PROTECT THE WOMEN).

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Known_Confusion9879@reddit

There are many cases where you have to show a photo ID and often more than one type of ID as driver's licence and passport don't have everything they claim they need and not everyone drives and has ever needed a passport.

It isn't just an ID card, its scope will expand and there is no control on what other data might be linked to one source. Also it isn't secure and they have nothing in place to protect the public in the event of errors, mistaken identity or simply someone with access to the system having a grudge and then able to interfere with your digital ID. It hasn't been thought out because the government have no clue about how it would work and fail.

All the verification we currently have to go through is problematical now. Banks needing smart phone apps and also text message to validate a purchase. Last time I was out of the country I had a local sim to get data but then couldn't get the security code on my normal phone number. Not all phones have two sims or you carry an old phone just in case. It is not making us saver. It will not prevent money laundering or illegal workers only impose over complex and unnecessary restrictions on everyone in their normal day to day activities.

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SallyNicholson@reddit

Digital ID is a really bad idea that KS is trying to bring in so he's got everyone's data at hus fingertips. It won't solve anything. The lie that it will stop illegal immigrants and illegal workers is just that, a lie. And just wait until the hackers get hold of everyone's data that has been carefully gathered in a single database. Ripe pickings for thieves. Hopefully it will never happen.

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Prestigious-Gold6759@reddit

As someone you'd probably consider an FB crazy, the problem with digital ID is that it will in fact be used as it is in China, with a social and carbon credit scoring system and geofencing. It will also incorporate digital currency which will in fact just be tokens that expire if unused by a certain date (e.g. 2 months) thus preventing people from saving. Universal Basic Income will replace Universal Credit.

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LagerBoi@reddit

I already have a passport and driving license and a national insurance number. The government knows who I am. What's another one to add to the list?

I really don't care about having to have a digital ID. I just hate that it's being proposed for the entirely wrong reasons, as an anti-immigration thing. (That said, I'm not sure what the right reasons would be).

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Euphoric-Badger-873@reddit

I get your point but data hacking is a real threat. At the moment it is a pain to gather all the info on a person but with this system, one hack and someone can get the lot. They could create a parallell ID, they can sell your info to any legit or non legit group. On balance my feelings were that it wasn't worth it just to make some civil servants job easier. We, the ordinary folk, actually gain nothing from it.

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LagerBoi@reddit

It is a threat, but it's one that's already present really.

Someone manages to hack your phone number, you're screwed as they'll get all your 2FA codes and everything

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droneupuk@reddit

I want my driving license on my phone but I don't want digital id. I don't want some wacko like Lizz Truss or Nigel Farage having all that info and deciding we need to link it to something like toilet checks or internet usage. I don't want some for profit company to have all that data that will either get hacked or sold to some cunt like Elon Musk or both. Yes I'm sure nothing in the current bill looks anything like that, but things change. People are getting arrested for wearing t shirts and holding signs it's not difficult to think how facial recognition and digital id lead from that. I also don't like any action a government isn't willing to even discuss after a clearly massive backlash on their own pointless petition system reaches record numbers.

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AllHailTheHypnoTurd@reddit

seems ideal when it was described as being an ID that you can use for every bit of paperwork evidence ever required

Having just signed a new tenancy the amount of “present your passport… driving license… utility bill… council tax letter… birth certificate…” etc. I had to go through was very annoying

I’d be a lot happier just to show them my digital ID once and be done with it

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HumorPsychological60@reddit

Not a 'crazy' but I would actually care about this. I recently read a book written by an ex facebook employee who talks about how many governments are interested in using Facebook to gather data on citizens without their knowledge.

A digital ID will absolutely be utilized by governments to keep tabs on people and especially make it difficult for people to protest and organize against the rise of fascism we're currently experiencing.

And I am a big believer in cash too - it's actually better for the economy to have a physical cash flow circulating

You might be preoccupied with your job and DIY tasks, but this is something that will open the gates to more abuses of power for generations to come

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Timely_Egg_6827@reddit

Just to say the governments may have good reasons to do that - say you know you have incomplete information on how many primary school places you need in an area because the census data is a decade old, immigration into area (between or within UK) has been high and chance not every child registered. Administrative data can have holes. Social media at hyper-local level talking about nurseries can help plug that gap.

A concrete example was there was uncertajnity about the number of houses converted to multiple-person use and gardens built on. By tracking water consumption levels, it was possible to get a handle of the growth in residents. I don't personally have an issue with that because it is only useful in aggregate ie not targetted at specific people.

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AppointmentTop3948@reddit

Authoritarian government looking to implement an ID system for totally altruistic reasons that will definitely only help the people of the UK. It is definitely not going to be used as a way to control us in ways we can't even imagine yet.

Truthfully: It will be an expensive mess with almost no upside to any British citizen, there are many ways in which it could (almost definitely) be used against us.

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AlGunner@reddit

Back in the 90's a mate dragged me along to a conspiracy theory talk he wanted to go to. Even then they were talking about ID cards as part of the conspiracy theory along with black helicopters, the Illuminati, who shot JFK, aliens and the full works. They claimed that ID cards would come before the ID chips inserted under your skin that could track you everywhere, would be needed to buy anything and all that stuff.

The person I went with when I last saw him years ago was a full blown conspiracy theory nutjob who will be losing his shot over this, I on the other hand just see it as a bit suspicious as a potential step on the path. To use the a metaphor, I have one foot on the starting edge of loony lane and he is at the other end miles away.

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SchruteFarmsIntel@reddit

The issue is Scope Creep. Remember "2 weeks to flatten the curve"

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MrMonkeyman79@reddit

As is often the case there are understandable concerns about necessity, cost, scope and effectiveness, but also a lot of noise claiming we're not different from north Korea from the usual anti establishment/conspiracy theorists.

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Electric_Death_1349@reddit

The right-wing of the Labour Party have had a hard-on for ID cards for decades - Tony Blair tried and failed to bring them in when he was PM; Brown picked up the baton, but he too couldn't get it through parliament.

There are obviously all sorts of conspiracy theories about the motivations behind this, but the crux of the matter is that the neoliberal state is inherently authoritarian, and will increasingly resort to punitive and repressive measures to keep the populous in line as the goals of the state become increasingly at odds with their interests.

The Starmer regime is a rehash of New Labour style millennial centrism, complete with all the authoritarian tappings of the original incarnation - but it's is an exhausted ideology which is ill-equipped to deal with the issues of today, and while the regime flounders, and becomes increasingly despised, they will resort to the only thing they know; austerity, privatisation, and authoritarian crackdowns.

The UK will not become China - the CCP run a tight ship and are actually capable of implementing large scale infrastructure projects and effective state repression. Assuming this idea every gains legs, which given that the last two Labour PMs - politicians infinitely more formidable that Sir Keith and his gang of Apprentice rejects - is doubtful, the likely outcome will be that someone with friends in high places will be gifted a lucrative PFI contract, which will go billions over budget, be beset by endless delays, and when it finally materialise, the app itself will be a shitshow that barely functions, and will almost immediately lead a massive data breach.

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AlanDove46@reddit

If I said that antivivisecton and animal protection law could be a good way to target a ethnic minority in disguise, you'd think me mad too.

If you've never been targeted by a state because of your ethnic status it is understandable you may not worry (and naivety of history is still rather unforgivable), but those who have are very aware of not forfeiting your whole existence and potential to live within society to s ingle state entity. The crazies are those who support Digi ID, not the other way around.

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That_Northern_bloke@reddit

From what I understand its mostly administrative in that everything is in one place.