The U.K.’s Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced that by the conclusion of the current Parliament in 2029, citizens in the country will not be allowed to work unless they have digital IDs.

A press release from the prime minister’s office read that this scheme will “help combat illegal working while making it easier for the vast majority of people to use vital government services.”

The statement also explained that digital IDs will simplify the process of applying for driver’s licenses, child care and welfare and will streamline tax records access and identity checks “in time.”

According to an Oct. 23 report by BBC News, this requirement will not be applicable to everyone. Starmer told the outlet that U.K. citizens will only need the IDs to work if they start a new job after the digital identification tool has been rolled out.

The prime minister also emphasized that citizens would not need an ID for a hospital or other health care services.

British citizens say no

Image Credits: Kelly Sikkema from Unsplash

Despite the prime minister’s attempts to reassure citizens, a petition by Maxim Sutcliff opposing digital IDs on the U.K. government and Parliament’s website currently has almost three million signatures.

Sutcliff’s statement reads,

“We demand that the UK government immediately commit to not introducing digital ID cards… We think this would be a step towards mass surveillance and digital control, and that no one should be forced to register with a state-controlled ID system. We oppose the creation of any national ID system. ID cards were scrapped in 2010, in our view for good reason.’’

The U.K. government issued a response to the petition reaffirming their plans to roll out digital IDs.

Additionally, the government shared plans to launch a consultation with employers, trade unions, civil society groups, and other stakeholders in coming weeks to help co-design the IDs and make sure they are secure and inclusive.

Take the Quiz: What Kind of Political Personality Are You?

Ever wondered what role you’d play in the political world? Take this fun quiz to find out!

Why British citizens do not want digital IDs

Some citizens have expressed concern that digital identification will make the lives of immigrants and refugees needlessly harder.

Samura Ali, an organizer at the anti-racist organization Stand Up To Racism, told Socialist Worker,

“The government should allow refugees to work. It should not be cracking down on people trying to make a living when they have to survive on so little from the government.”

This quote was in reference to Britain’s strict prohibition on asylum seekers working for the first 12 months (at a minimum) they are in the country while awaiting approval.

Image Credits: Chris Boese from Unsplash

Others, including experts, have expressed disapproval with digital IDs due to privacy concerns.

Alan Woodward, a professor and internationally renowned computer security expert, warned The Guardian of the potential hacking dangers.

Woodward explained that if users’ information is held on a “vast database,” this database would be at immense risk of getting hacked.

Additionally, in an Instagram video, cyberpsychology consultant Catherine Knibbs shared her concerns about the potential negative impacts on children.

In the video, the cyberpsychology consultant discussed the U.K.’s Online Safety Act requiring websites to verify users’ ages. To do this, companies utilized third-party services to conduct this process.

One of these age verification firms used by Discord was hacked, exposing over 70,000 Discord users’ ID photos.

With the possibility of U.K. children’s information being held in a government database if minors obtain digital IDs, Knibbs expressed concern that hackers may gain access.

She pointed out this would not be the first time the U.K. government fell victim to a data loss.

Instead, the government has experienced several data breaches in the last 18 years.