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Britain to introduce compulsory digital ID for workers

(www.reuters.com)
525 points alex77456 | 3 comments | 26 Sep 25 02:09 UTC | HN request time: 0s | source
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gattr ◴[26 Sep 25 14:29 UTC] No.45386918[source]▶
> Stored on mobile phones, the ID would contain details including a name, date of birth, residency status and crucially a photo - which would distinguish it from National Insurance numbers.

Surely it will be possible to also store it on some government-issued, GCHQ-vetted digital device, and not rely on foreign companies (Google/Apple) and their locked-down mobile platforms?

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JetSetIlly ◴[26 Sep 25 18:27 UTC] No.45389535[source]▶
This is the most alarming aspect of the proposal to me. I find it wild that the government will require me, by law, to buy an expensive electronic device I don't want or otherwise need, in order to be employed. It's absolutely amazing to me that the government is forcing me to spend money in this way.
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HankStallone ◴[26 Sep 25 18:35 UTC] No.45389613[source]▶
My government requires me, by law, to send it tens of thousands of dollars every year, much of it to be spent on things I don't want or need, in order to stay out of prison.

Requiring me to spend another $100 or so on a phone seems like pretty small potatoes, compared to what they intend to use the device for. I'm not saying I'd like it, but it's a detail, not the main issue.

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1. JetSetIlly ◴[26 Sep 25 19:05 UTC] No.45389900[source]▶
It's not so much the money but rather being forced to do business with a company I do not want to do business with. If this were an optional activity, like driving a car and being forced to do business with an insurance company, that's one thing. But this will be a forced commercial interaction simply to be employed in the UK. That's a very novel abuse of power.
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2. iamnothere ◴[26 Sep 25 19:17 UTC] No.45390022[source]▶
This is the crazy part to me. I want nothing to do with the iPhone/Android duopoly and I do not participate in it, at the cost of some personal convenience from time to time. If my own country were to implement this I’d honestly just tell them to stick me in jail. I can be a test case, why not? You have to draw the line somewhere.
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3. JetSetIlly ◴[26 Sep 25 19:30 UTC] No.45390158[source]▶
It really is mad.

Whenever you hear someone say, "everyone has a phone these days", you must push back against that. It might seem like it to them but it's just not true. I've always chosen to point out that it isn't true because I was worried that one day, it would be become a legal requirement to own one. It seems that day has arrived, in the UK at least.

I'm a little in disbelief that I will soon be legally required to own one of these things.