What would a right to non-digital ID mean for me?
The right to a non-digital ID would give us all choice over how we verify our identities and ensure no one feels forced to hand over personal identity data online. It would mean that the government and private companies must allow us to prove our identities in person, and not only online, when we need to prove our identity to access important services like tax assessments or rental agreements. This would be particularly beneficial to people who cannot easily access digital methods, including some elderly, poorer and disabled people, as well as people from other marginalised groups – and the many people who simply prefer not to use digital ID. Ultimately, a right to use non-digital ID would also be a safeguard against a digital ID system becoming mandatory in the future.
What would be the problem with the introduction of a mandatory digital ID?
At their worst, digital IDs can be misused for mass surveillance, curb people’s’ liberties, predict and shape people’s decisions, and be abused for the tracking, targeting or other differential treatment of ethnic, religious and other marginalised groups.
Mandatory digital ID would also have a serious bearing on equality in the UK. Some people in marginalised, vulnerable and minority groups are more likely to have reduced access to online services (e.g. people with disabilities, low income, low digital literacy levels or limited internet access), particularly where digital identity is a requirement (e.g. migrants, and people in Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities).
What can be done to stop a march towards mandatory digital ID?
It’s time to take positive steps to ensure that when it comes to verifying our identities, we have a legal right not to use digital ID. Since the government is now creating a digital identity regulatory system, it should also use the law to protect our right to choose and protect the right to use offline alternatives to digital verification processes. We are working with politicians to amend the Government’s new privacy-wrecking law, the Data Protection and Digital Information Bill – but we need your help now. Support the campaign to say #No2DigitalID and write to the Government today.