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The Potential Dangers of Digital ID Cards in the UK and Beyond

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“Governments might resort to utilizing digital identities in more intrusive manners than initially assured…”

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My first ID card was a flimsy laminated driver’s license. In the U.S., it includes a photo, biometric data (like eye color and height), and date of birth. This spurred its increased use beyond just driving; bars began issuing “cards” to minors attempting to purchase alcohol, interpreting the data as proof of being 21, the legal drinking age. I must admit, it wasn’t until I turned 18 that I learned to use a pencil to edit my birth date to enjoy some cheap cocktails.

This tale may seem like a dull 20th-century anecdote, yet it holds significant relevance in today’s ongoing discussion about the implementation of digital identity cards in the UK and elsewhere. While the cards themselves may differ vastly, the core issue remains the same. Firstly, the use of ID cards tends to escalate over time, and secondly, they are exceedingly easy to compromise.

The British government isn’t the first to suggest that citizens should carry a compact ID application on their smartphones for accessing government and public services. Countries such as China, Singapore, India, and Estonia already mandate digital IDs. Advocates argue that digital IDs help reduce fraud, simplify travel and purchases, and verify identity without the need to carry multiple physical documents.

“This digital ID will enhance your security,” the government might claim. “You can use it for shopping, obtaining medical care, and better yet, it will prevent any confusion about your immigration status, sparing you from unjust detention.” Apologies for the specificity, but the point is clear: these cards are touted as solutions to non-issues (like carrying a health insurance card) or problems that can’t be resolved by merely having an ID (immigration is complex and multifaceted).

Returning to the topic of usage expansion. What transpires when authorities implement digital IDs on mobile devices to authenticate citizenship during job applications or for social services? Fundamentally, they reside alongside other apps which, in certain instances, can share data with them. Some of these applications access sensitive data, including bank information, medical schedules, personal messages, and photos.

As journalist Byron Tau observes in his brilliant book: control means. Many applications gather information about you, often without your awareness, such as your location, purchasing behaviors, and even details from other apps on your device. There are businesses focused on extracting this data from applications like dating services and selling it to third parties, including government entities.

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Governments may begin using digital IDs in far more intrusive ways than originally intended.
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This practice is largely permissible in the U.S., albeit unsettling. The UK and Europe have regulations that curb rampant data sharing, yet the technology exists. The only shield you have against government ID applications monitoring your location via unrelated apps is the government itself—and that, too, may evolve. Regulations can shift. However, once you start using that digital ID for employment, entering bars, tipping, or taking public transport, it’s unlikely you would discard it.

Consider the potential of this creepiness: Governments may resort to using digital identities in much more invasive manners than initially promised. Conversely, the public might find it beneficial for so many tasks that they deem the trade-off worthwhile. If buying a candy bar is effortless without a credit card, who cares if the government tracks your daily whereabouts? That perspective holds until the government decides you’re the enemy.

And let’s not overlook the hacking angle. Even if governments refrain from spying using your digital ID, malicious actors might not. A hacker could exploit vulnerabilities to access your identity or harvest personal information through a compromised app. Security experts have warned the UK government regarding the threats posed by digital IDs, and even the notorious U.S. surveillance firm Palantir has backed away from support for digital IDs. As one of their executives recently put it, digital identity is:very controversial.

It’s crucial to recognize that concern shouldn’t center merely around identity theft. One must also consider the potential for location tracking, message monitoring, unauthorized bank access, and even phone tapping. Comparatively, a traditional ID card, while it can be lost or altered, only results in the loss of that card—not a comprehensive loss of other personal data.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Announce Digital ID Cards: Plans to Strengthen Civil Liberties | Keyer Priority

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All working individuals will be required to obtain a digital ID card, as announced by Keir Starmer, sparking a potential clash with civil liberties advocates.

The Prime Minister will outline measures during a meeting on Friday aimed at how progressive leaders can address the challenges facing Britain, including addressing voter anxieties about immigration.

The initiative for the “Brit Card” mandates legal backing and is already encountering pushback from privacy advocates.

However, it remains unclear whether the public is convinced that securing the right to work in the UK is necessary to combat illegal migration, despite the lingering sentiment since the abandonment of Tony Blair’s ID card strategy in the 2000s.

New Interior Secretary Shabana Mahmoud endorses the initiative, stating that her “long-standing personal political beliefs have always supported ID cards.”

This month, Starmer mentioned that digital IDs could “play a vital role” in making the UK less appealing to illegal immigrants, citing France’s assertion that a lack of official cards acts as a “pull factor.”

The Prime Minister also referenced the government’s aim for “patriotic renewal,” contrasting it with “a politics of complaints, toxic divisions, and reform efforts.” He characterized the Conservatives as “essentially defunct.”

During his speech on Friday, he pointed out that the far-right is injecting “toxic” narratives into national discourse, asserting, “At its core— the most toxic beliefs, discussed just a week or two ago, will lead to future struggles, decisive conflicts, and violent confrontations for the nation.

“You don’t have to be a historian to understand where this kind of rhetoric can lead. It’s palpable—the naked language used to intimidate.”

Nonetheless, he also expressed his belief in the necessity of controlling immigration and borders, stating:

The emphasis is simply this: “It’s not compassionate leftist politics to exploit foreign workers and rely on labor that undermines fair wages. However, it is a fact that every nation must take measures to secure its borders.”

In a piece for The Telegraph, Starmer conveyed that labor had previously erred regarding migration.

He contended that it is permissible to express concerns regarding immigration rates, while rejecting the “toxic” and divisive reform approach.

He added, “There’s no doubt that established leftist parties, myself included, have distanced themselves from public concerns regarding illegal immigration. It became too straightforward for individuals to enter the country, work in the shadow economy, and remain undocumented.”

The Guardian disclosed in June that Downing Street was contemplating a digital ID card initiative.

This concept originated from a union document presented to the No. 10 policy team proposing Brit cards.

ThinkTank also suggested that it could help curtail the significant number of visa overstayers, indicating that approximately half of those denied asylum claims over the past 14 years are likely still in the UK. They proposed a free, secure digital ID accessible via an individual’s smartphone, utilizing the rebranded, intended gov.uk wallet app as a Brit card application. This would be verifiable by employers, immigrants, banks, and landlords through complimentary software.

Under a potential scheme, the technology is expected to leverage the government’s existing “one-login” framework, which currently allows citizens to access around 50 government services.

Kirsty Innes, the report’s author and technology director at ThinkTank, presently serves as a special advisor to technology secretary Liz Kendall. When the document was released, she mentioned, “Progressive societies can only thrive with meaningful boundaries. The BritCard curtails illegal employment and housing regulations, simplifying the identification and penalization of exploitative illegal employers and landlords.”

The plan received support from the Tony Blair Institute and the government’s innovation director. Alexander Iosad remarked, “If the government announces universal digital IDs to enhance public services, it will be one of the most significant advancements to ease daily life and foster trust among British citizens.”

However, it has faced opposition from David Davis, a Conservative MP who previously led the charge against Blair’s ID card initiative decades ago.

Davis stated, “No system is immune to failure. I have witnessed numerous instances where governmental and tech giants were unable to safeguard people’s personal information. I hardly believe Whitehall can manage better than leading companies in protecting their data.”

The Liberal Democrats voiced their opposition, stating they cannot endorse “mandatory digital IDs that require individuals to expose their personal data merely to go about their daily lives.”

While the Conservatives did not provide an official stance, their leader, Kemi Badenok, noted: “There are both arguments for and against digital IDs, but mandating their use is a significant step that warrants thorough national discussion.

“Instead, this is merely a maneuver by Andy Burnham for leadership positioning, intended to distract from the crisis surrounding the Prime Minister’s chief.”

Jim Killock, executive director of the Open Rights Group, emphasized that the digital ID card proposal is not part of the Labour Party’s manifesto, labeling it as “the last thing this government should pursue amid a living crisis.”

“The existing digital visa system for immigration serves as a harsh harbinger of the damage inflicted by data mishaps, system breakdowns, and a callous and adversarial Home Office. Individuals have faced travel restrictions, lost job opportunities, and even homelessness due to current digital identity initiatives,” he articulated.

“This scheme poses the risk of engendering a digital surveillance framework that alters the daily existence of all individuals and establishes a pre-crime state where we continually have to validate our identities in the course of our everyday activities.”

David Renney, a former Home Office ID Program employee and currently Chief Trust Officer of Startup Orchestration Identity, remarked that it is “absurd” to propose digital identities as a solution for illegal migration.

“Suggesting a flagship ‘digital identity’ as a means to combat illegal migration reflects a lack of understanding and learning over the last two decades,” he pointed out. “Employers are responsible for verifying the right to work of future employees in the UK or face penalties of £45,000.”

Source: www.theguardian.com

Exhibition Chronicles the Evolution of UK Privacy Rights: From Floppy Disks to Vaccine Cards

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Four decades ago, a 4-drawer filing cabinet was necessary to house 10,000 documents. Now, it only requires 736 floppy disks to hold the same volume of files. The cloud allows for the storage of 10,000 documents without occupying physical space.

With the evolution of data storage comes a transformation in the information landscape. This evolution poses challenges related to the storage, transfer, and proper utilization of individuals’ personal data.

The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) organized an exhibition at the Manchester Central Library this week, showcasing 40 items that demonstrate the evolution of data privacy. Each item illustrates how access to information has changed over the past four decades and how data has become pivotal in major news events.

John Edwards, a member of the intelligence committee, expressed his appreciation for the exhibition, emphasizing the importance of human influence in data-related matters. He highlighted the significance of understanding terms like data controller, data processor, and data subject.

The exhibition features various items, including Pokemon toys, floppy disks, Tesco Club cards, modems, Millennium bug brochures, soccer shirts, and Covid vaccination cards. It also showcases how ICO interventions have brought about societal changes, such as ending the construction industry’s “employment denial list” and implementing public food hygiene assessments for restaurants.

One of Edwards’ favorite exhibition items is the spiked lawn aerator shoes, symbolizing an early enforcement action in the 1980s against a company selling customer information obtained from shoe sales.




My favourite item at the exhibition by Intelligent John Edwards is the spiked grass aerator shoes. Photo: Christopher Tormond/The Guardian

The 40th pedestal at the exhibition remains unused, inviting the public to suggest objects that have influenced the data landscape. Edwards emphasized the personal and subjective nature of privacy, stating that each individual has unique expectations and experiences.

The ICO was founded as a UK data protection regulator near Manchester 40 years ago and now oversees new data protection laws. The regulatory landscape has undergone significant transformations since its inception.




NHS Covid Vaccination Card. Photo: Andy Rain/EPA

According to Edwards, individuals now have a significantly larger amount of personal data worldwide compared to when the ICO was established. The constant flow of data worldwide illustrates the extensive data environment we now exist in.

Edwards highlighted the challenge of keeping pace with the rapid changes in technology and data usage. The ICO regulates a wide range of entities, from small schools and GP surgeries to large social media companies, requiring continuous adaptation to address privacy implications.

Reflecting on the future, Edwards acknowledged the uncertain geopolitical landscape, emphasizing the potential impact of quantum computing and advanced AI technologies on data handling and privacy in the coming years.

Source: www.theguardian.com

Digital ID cards in Poland: A valuable tool or a barrier to progress in e-Government?

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There has been much talk about the potential for Poland’s economy to surpass that of the UK by 2030, but in some aspects, Poland is already ahead.

One such area is the digital ID card and driving license created by Poles, allowing them to access various public services through the mobile app mObywatel. Users must verify their identity through e-banking login, a digitally enabled physical ID card, or a special “trusted profile” online upon initial access.

With 8 million users, the mObywatel app enables Poles to create a digital ID, check demerit points on their driver’s license, review their car history, monitor local air quality, and find their polling place.

Rafał Sionkowski, a senior government official overseeing the app, emphasized the importance of keeping the core developer team within the public institution to ensure immediate public access to the digitized database.

As more EU countries develop similar apps in anticipation of the EU’s eIDAS 2.0 regulation on electronic identification, authentication, and trust services, significant progress is expected.

The regulation, set to be fully implemented by 2026 or 2027, establishes the legal framework for electronic identification systems that can be used across EU borders. Sionkowski noted that digital driving licenses can be presented in Germany and digital IDs in Spain for verification.

A digital version of your Polish driving license can be stored on your smartphone via an app. Photo: SOPA Images/LightRocket/Getty Images

Sionkowski mentioned plans to enhance the app with new features like notifying insurance companies of accidents and exploring its potential in verifying age online and assisting vulnerable groups in accessing public services.

He stressed the importance of focusing on services that people use, highlighting the value added through features like air quality monitors for local readings.

Privacy lawyer Wojciech Kulikki advocated for adhering to strict privacy principles while adding service features to the app. He cautioned against intrusive features like unauthorized location tracking.

Citizens could have more control over their data either through open-source app development for independent oversight or by checking data accessed by other government departments.

Janusz Ciezynski, a former digital minister, noted the smoother rollout of the app in Poland compared to the UK due to the presence of physical ID cards, quelling concerns about privacy infringements.

Ciezynski expressed enthusiasm for incorporating more public services into a single app, envisioning benefits for disaster-affected areas with quick access to funds through virtual payment cards.

Source: www.theguardian.com

At 36, I’ve rekindled my love for Pokemon cards – but this time on my phone | Pokemon

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aEvery New York Millennial — and any parent — will be familiar with Pokemon cards, a mainstay of newsagent hustling since the turn of the century. The shiny metallic plastic packaging contains trading cards decorated with creatures of varying rarity, from the humble Squirtle to the special edition illustrated Snorlax. There have been several attempts to bring these expensive illustrated cards (and the fighting games you can play with them) to smartphones, but until now all was poorly received. The Pokémon trading card game Pocket, released last week, is the best game yet. That really hooked me.

Here, for the first time since the release of the Pokémon Trading Card Game on the Game Boy Color in 1998, we have a decent virtual version of the incredibly popular card game. This is good news because it's very funny, but it's also bad news Because it's alarmingly convincing. I've been playing for at least a few hours every day this week, but I'm starting to run out of things to do. I probably won't let my kids play with it. Because if I was left this helpless by the appearance of a glowing Charizard, the children would definitely have no hope.

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Just like real cards, the appeal of this game revolves around the slim chance that a particular pack might contain an ultra-rare card. Tapping on a booster pack decorated with Mewtwo, Pikachu, or Charizard will reveal a shiny, shiny packet in a glittering carousel that you can select and open with a swipe of your finger. The virtual cards are beautifully rendered. The good news is that if you flip the pack before opening it, the cards will appear from the back to the front, prolonging that brief moment of suspense until you find out what the cards are. When you tilt the screen, rare items will sparkle. As I discovered this morning, when you get a really rare card, you get an entire mini-movie animation of the scene depicted on that card.

The game gives you one free booster pack every 12 hours. The £7.99 per month subscription gets you another daily pack, allowing you to play battles and earn more for money, but only up to a certain point. The Pokemon trading card game Pocket is not evil. It doesn't force you to pay for your time. A limit on the number of packs that can be opened each day is an effective brake on the randomized reward aspect of the game's dopamine mining.

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The illustrated cards are the most beautiful and most coveted versions of each creature. Photo provided by: Pokemon Co., Ltd.

On the other hand, if you want to deploy cards in battle, you can do it as many times as you like for free. This is not a simulation of collecting real Pokemon cards, but rather a simulation of fighting Pokemon cards, which surprisingly few children actually collect. The rules for these battles are exactly the same as in real card games, but simplified. Build a deck of 20 cards of different Pokémon and useful item cards, such as potions to heal damage or Poke Balls to collect creatures from your deck. Every turn, you can generate energy and attach it to your Pokemon to increase their attack power. A good deck consists of one or two very powerful Pokémon and a small phalanx of other creatures and cards that complement their abilities. The important thing is that do not have It's about who has the rarest and flashiest Pokemon cards. If you think carefully, you can make great strategic decks from relatively common cards.

After a few fights, I quickly felt how my deck worked and made small adjustments between each match. While not as good (or deep) as the actual card game, this quickfire version is much better suited to play on your phone. It's still engaging and moderately challenging, especially when playing against other human players, but it's also intuitive. what? do not have All the different currencies and items you can earn in these battles are intuitive. I spent more time figuring out what they would be used for than worrying about deck composition. Every time you reach a small collection or combat milestone, you are always rewarded with gold, sparkling dust, tickets, and hourglasses.

This is the worst thing about the free-to-play Pokemon trading card game Pocket. But overall it doesn't feel overly manipulative, and certainly no more manipulative than the actual cards. everytime It costs money. I dread to think how much my family has spent on them over the years. The amount of things you can do without opening your wallet isn't as generous as Pokémon Go, but for me monetization doesn't get in the way of fun. Despite this, it looks like he's already earned a pretty impressive $24 million.

The 226 cards currently on offer are cleverly oriented towards the peak of early 2000s Pokémon millennial nostalgia. The trading card game Pocket has a lot of appeal for those of us who are part of the first generation of Pokémaniacs. Similar to Pokémon Go, the options expand over time, so I think you'll eventually get tired of it. For now, I'm enjoying this luxury every day.

Source: www.theguardian.com