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Downing Street ‘exploring plan for digital ID cards’ (www.independent.co.uk)

submitted 6 days ago by JiffyBag@feddit.org to c/unitedkingdom@feddit.uk

16 comments fedilink hide all child comments

The ID card would be stored on a smartphone and linked to government records, according to think tank proposals

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[–] ambitiousslab@lemmy.ml 5 points 6 days ago* (last edited 6 days ago) (1 children)

Tony Blair goes to bed clutching his driving license every night, but wishes it could be so much more. When he dreams, he dreams of a beautiful world of compulsory ID cards. When he wakes up, he remembers "ID cards are the answer!", but seems to have forgotten the question.

Who funds the Tony Blair Institute again? Oh, it's Oracle. Now, I wonder who would be administering the scheme.

I do think it is possible to implement ID cards in a way that respects democracy and privacy of its citizens. Unfortunately, knowing the record of our government with both parties in power, I just know it will be implemented in the worst possible way. Therefore, I think we should steer clear completely.

Do you think the government will get these questions right?

Will this app support old phones that people can't afford or don't want to upgrade?
What about rooted phones?
What about phones that don't run Android or iOS?
Will people have the option of a physical hard copy? Would they have to pay for the privilege?
Will it be optional (for now...) or forced on everyone? If optional, will some be excluded from many parts of society?
Will it work offline?
Will there be numerous bugs that prevent people from proving their right to be here, as there has been with the eVisa scheme?
Will the amount of data it both collects and provides be the absolute minimum needed to prove your age or right to work?
Will you have the right to both see, challenge and delete all the data that the government has linked to your ID?
Will it be available in an open format, so that it is available to all and can be stored and verified using free software?
Will the government spend money wisely on this project or syphon off millions to corrupt contractors?
Will people be required to carry it at all times?
Will storing all this information in a central location make it easy for to illegally share data between departments, as Musk did in the US?
Will it start off just being used to verify your age and right to work, and gradually expand to all other areas of life including the ability to access content online?
Will the scheme be administered in such a way, that you would be comfortable with Reform being in control of it?

Ultimately, they are not trying to solve problems, they are deciding they want ID cards, and flailing around trying to find ways to sell it to us.

[–] rah@feddit.uk 3 points 6 days ago

Will the government spend money wisely on this project or syphon off millions to corrupt contractors?

I'm confused. Isn't syphoning off money the whole purpose of a government? Why would they spend money wisely?