Is the digital ID good move for Britain – or Orwellian ploy? People have their say 

Is the digital ID a welcome move in 21st-century Britain – or an Orwellian ploy?

Prime Minister Keir Starmer today confirmed proposals to introduce digital identification cards on mobile phones to tackle illegal immigration.

How they will look or work is currently unknown but they will be mandatory for the right to work in the UK.

It’s a controversial move. Nearly 1 million people have already signed a petition demanding the idea is scrapped while it’s been met negatively by some MPs in his own party.

Reform UK branded digital ID cards a ‘cynical ploy’ designed to ‘fool’ voters into thinking something is being done about immigration.

Privacy campaigners have labelled mandatory digital cards ‘dystopian,’ while concerns have been raised about cybersecurity and the safety of your data.

‘Orwellian’

Some Metro readers are fuming over the plan, with many vowing to throw away their smartphones if it becomes a reality.

Alison Carrington said: ‘It’s a Nokia 3310 for me then!’ 

Danny Benton said: ‘No! Back to the Nokia 3310.’

Others joked the proposals are reminiscent of George Orwell’s seminal novel 1984.

Charlie Round said: ‘George Orwell’s 1984 doesn’t seem like fiction anymore.’

Eric Brass said: ‘Silly me. I just read this and had to check the date, expecting it to be April 1st 1984. Oddly, it wasn’t.’   

However, some are more supportive with many pointing out the digital footprint we have already.

Wendy Cocks said: ‘As an ‘oldie’, I think it’s a great idea. If you’ve nothing to hide, you’ve nothing to be scared of. Anyone interacting on any social network sites are tracked already so what’s the difference? 

Avril O’Leary wrote: ‘We carry our identities in our phone anyway, so it shouldn’t be a problem.’  

People were not convinced by possibly being able to access services like passport applications, the NHS, or their National Insurance number with just a few taps – despite Sir Keir’s promise of ‘countless benefits’ like not ‘hunting around for an old utility bill.’

‘We already have National Insurance’

The plan has raised more questions than answers, including how is it different from National Insurance, and how much it will cost.

Debbie Booker asked: ‘Isn’t that what a passport is for? And a driving licence?’

Hank Hancocks said: ‘I held a military ID for 30 years. I have had a National Insurance No for 60 years, an NHS number for over 70 years and a driving for 55 years, but no one will force me to have a “Brit-Card”.’

Darran Williams said: ‘I have a birth certificate, a marriage licence, a drivers licence, a passport, an NI number and a bus pass. I think that’s enough ID.’

Lisa Nandy, the Culture Secretary, also compared it to the National Insurance number, which proves the right to work in the UK but isn’t linked to a photo ID.

She said this currently makes it ‘far easier to pass off someone elses’ National Insurance number as your own.’

Exact plans are still being drawn up, but it is understood that there will be no requirement for people to carry or be asked to produce the digital ID.

Early drafts reveal the digital ID would show whether the holder – a foreign or British national living in the UK – is legally allowed to work or rent.

This suggests it will be mandatory for adults to apply for one.

However, Ms Nandy said this morning that while all UK citizens will have a digital ID, ‘it will not be mandatory for people to use it.’

She told Sky News: ‘The plan is to ensure that everybody has it, but you can choose whether you use it.’

Cybersecurity concerns

The plan has raised cybersecurity concerns what happens if your phone is stolen.

‘Natasha Mickleburgh said: ‘So in the event that the device I have my digital I.D. on gets stolen. Then what?’ 

Matthew Webster said: ‘Awsome so when theres a security breach they get hold of ALL of my security data.’  

The government said the digital ID system is ‘designed with best-in-class security at its core.’

It said: ‘The system uses state-of-the-art encryption and authentication technology that’s already protecting millions of digital transactions daily. If a phone is lost or stolen, the digital credentials can be immediately revoked and reissued, providing better security than traditional physical documents.’

The government has pledged to work with people who cannot use a smartphone, but further details on this will be revealed after a public consultation.

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