UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer has announced a new requirement for all working adults in the country to carry a digital identification called the Brit Card. In practice, the Brit Card will be based on the One Login infrastructure already used by the UK government.
Supporters of the plan say digital ID cards can ensure that people have the right to work in the UK, and thus could help crack down on illegal immigration and exploitative employment schemes. “It will send a clear message that if you come here illegally, you will not be able to work, deterring people from making these dangerous journeys,” Starmer’s office wrote bluntly in the announcement. The UK government also plans to have an “outreach programme, including face-to-face support” for those “who aren’t able to use a smartphone” or those who “aren’t as experienced with the digital world, like the homeless and older people.”
The announcement claims the scheme will use “state-of-the-art encryption and authentication technology” and that “digital credentials will be stored directly on people’s own device.” However, critics say the IDs may infringe on civil liberties by requiring citizens to give the government additional personal information. They also raise concerns about how the administration plans to protect all those sensitive details from misuse or theft.
“No system is immune to failure, and we have seen time and again governments and tech giants fail to protect people’s personal data,” said David Davis, a Conservative MP and former cabinet minister. “If world-leading companies cannot protect our data, I have little faith that Whitehall would be able to do better.”
