Digital ID: Danes and Estonians Find It “Fairly Uncontroversial” | ID

For teenagers in Denmark, registering for MitID (My ID) has turned into a significant milestone.

Danish citizens can join the national digital ID system starting at the age of 13, allowing them to do everything from accessing online banking to signing documents electronically and scheduling doctor appointments.

Once they reach 15, every child and their parents receive a notification from the government stating that teenagers will now receive official communications through “digital post,” requiring a digital ID for access.

While individuals can choose to opt out and receive traditional mail, the number of people doing so is minimal. As of now, 97% of the Danish population over 15 is enrolled in educational institutions, and only 5% have opted out of digital communications. MitID

Recently, the UK government unveiled plans to establish a digital ID system by 2029, indicating it would “adopt the best practices” from global systems, including those in Denmark and Estonia.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer mentioned that the new ID system will be app-based rather than a physical card, containing information such as residency status, name, nationality, date of birth, and photo. Possession of this ID will be mandatory for employment in the UK.

In Denmark, people gradually got accustomed to using digital IDs. Adam Rebeck, Deputy Director-General of Denmark, noted that integration with essential apps like banking was vital for its success. Additionally, the rollout of digital post has boosted adoption rates, according to the digital government agency.

To aid older generations, volunteers have been recruited to educate seniors on using digital IDs. “The usage statistics for those up to age 85 are quite high; beyond that, it starts to decline,” Rebeck noted.

Similar to the UK, Denmark has never implemented a physical national ID card, but has been working on a digital ID system since 2001. The transition to a third iteration, MitID, was finalized in 2022, and Leveque indicated it is more secure than its predecessor. Commonly used as an app on smartphones or tablets, it can also function via code display or voice code reader for those unable to access an app.

Peter Christian Beck Nielsen, technology correspondent for Ingeniolen, a Danish newspaper, stated that the digital ID program has functioned effectively and, thus far, has encountered minimal public resistance. “This is a country where most people have a high level of trust in politicians and the public sector, so it hasn’t stirred controversy,” he explained.

However, he acknowledged that views on surveillance are shifting, partly due to heightened awareness of online tracking and public discussions around the issue. “Denmark has been moving in one direction for the past two decades: increased surveillance and more control. This will undoubtedly have repercussions at some point,” he remarked.

In times of rising instability across Europe, combined with threats of sabotage and hybrid warfare, the move towards digitalization carries notable risks if systems fail.

“In the past, you could almost walk into City Hall, but now you can’t do that at all,” Beck-Nielsen noted. “This would be very challenging because you must reserve online.” [In case of a digital system failure] this significantly reduces societal resilience from a hybrid warfare standpoint.

Lebeck emphasized that the threat level to digital security is perpetually high and remains a “huge challenge.” He also stated that there are “constant threats against it,” chiefly through social engineering. “We need ongoing development and a relentless battle against criminals,” he asserted.

Estonia’s journey towards a national digital identity card began earlier. The concept took root in the 1990s when Estonia reasserted its independence from the Soviet Union and aimed to rejuvenate its institutions.

“Governments with limited resources but abundant technological talent looked to digitalization as a means to deliver public services more efficiently and transparently,” stated Cristina Kriisa, a spokesperson for the e-Estonia Briefing Center. “The aim was to minimize paperwork, decrease bureaucracy, and enable citizens to engage with the state from anywhere.”

Estonia launched its national digital identity card in 2002, becoming one of the first countries globally to connect a physical identity document to secure online authentication and legally binding digital signatures. Citizens can now utilize it for digital voting, tax filing, and online banking, while analog alternatives remain available. The nation has also heavily invested in digital literacy in education.

Kriisa noted that while most Estonians are receptive to innovative ideas, concerns about privacy and security persist. “The government has tackled this issue by implementing a legal and technical framework founded on trust. Citizens have ownership of their data, can monitor who has accessed it, and are protected by robust data protection legislation,” she explained. “This transparency has resulted in limited opposition and has not posed a significant political barrier. People can observe the system’s efficacy and its time-saving advantages.”

Each card or mobile ID incorporates unique encryption keys, and access to sensitive information is documented. Citizens can review their own access logs, while national cybersecurity teams continually monitor for threats.

Leif Kaleb, a political science professor at Tallinn University, mentioned that Estonians tend to be “quite accommodating of minor reductions in personal freedom in pursuit of technological advancements and new prospects.” Despite this, the increasing accumulation of citizen digital data raises concerns for some individuals, he warned.

“Major concerns arise from the fact that this digital data accumulation enables an extensive array of analyses and insights about individuals and raises questions regarding reasonable limits, from banks and retail to law enforcement and tax authorities,” he elaborated.

Concerns regarding the electronic voting counting system also exist. “Of course, enhanced computing capabilities, such as those brought by quantum computers, will present challenges, but the specific nature of these challenges will evolve over time,” Caleb concluded.