The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Sir Keir Starmer, has announced that new digital identification cards will brought in to try to help tackle immigration issues in the country, mainly by stopping people from working illegally.
While it is not yet clear when the system will be introduced, it is understood that the digital ID would be stored on mobile phones, and U.K. citizens would only need to show them when proving a right to work in the country.
Why It Matters
While identification cards were first introduced in the 19th Century in France, with more countries bringing them in after World War II, they continue to remain a somewhat divisive subject.
In some countries, identity cards are accepted as necessary documents used for social security, with residents barely raising an eyebrow when asked to show the cards as proof of ID. Yet, in other places, the cards can arouse heated debate, with critics citing issues such as expense and privacy.
But the fairly new concept of transforming these offline IDs into ‘digital IDs’ is even more divisive, it seems, because many people are nervous about data leaks and misuse of information, and others believe it is essential to streamline identification systems.
What To Know
Many countries across the globe have brought in digital identification systems, but much fewer have implemented a digital ID card system. There are around nine countries that have brought in digital ID card systems, as shown in the map above, which is significantly smaller than the number of countries that have digital ID verification systems, as shown in the map below.
Countries with digital ID card systems include Australia, Belgium, Denmark, Estonia, India, the Netherlands, Nigeria, Singapore and Sweden.
Digital ID cards and verification systems vary from country to country, but for the U.K, the new ID would include name, date of birth, a photo, nationality and residency status, proving a person’s right to live and work in the country in a more aligned system, making it harder for people to slip through bureaucratic gaps when seeking work.
In Estonia, digital ID cards can be used to pay bills, vote and order prescriptions and have various technological measures in place to ensure data security, while in Denmark, the cards allow residents to manage their banking and taxes.
In Singapore, where the digital ID cards are extremely popular with 97 percent of residents using them, the digital ID cards allow those in the country to use thousands of governmental services.
In Sweden, the system is used to confirm a citizen’s identity, but can also be used to open bank accounts, sort taxes and even to book vaccinations.
There are two digital ID card systems operating in Denmark, the first allowing residents to use governmental services and the second to confirm a resident’s identity.
There are also a number of other countries that have implemented digital ID card systems of some sort, including the United States.
While few Americans have them, digital identification is also something a number of U.S. states have, according to the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), allowing drivers to have their license information stored on an app to make travel easier, particularly when going through TSA checkpoints.
In the U.K, the digital ID cards are not a hugely welcomed prospect, despite the fact they are being proposed to help tackle immigration issues. Almost 2 million people have signed a petition against the idea, according to the Metro, citing issues like risk of data leaks and that the cards won’t do enough to stop illegal immigration.
What People Are Saying
British Prime Minister Starmer said: “Let me spell it out. You will not be able to work in the United Kingdom if you do not have digital ID. It’s as simple as that. We won’t solve our problems if we don’t take on the root causes.”
What Happens Next
A consultation is expected to be launched soon in the U.K. to discuss the precise details of the new ID cards, but it is not clear what the potential timeline will be for their implementation at this stage.
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