UK's Rush to Implement Digital ID Poses Significant Threats to Freedom and Security

The UK government's announcement on September 26 to introduce a mandatory digital ID, dubbed 'BritCard', has sparked widespread criticism. The proposed system would require all employed individuals to possess a digital ID, with potential future extensions to driving licenses, welfare benefits, banking, and tax services. Critics have condemned the plan as 'Orwellian', warning that it could lead to mass surveillance and an unprecedented expansion of government power over citizens. The plan has also been linked to the UK tax authority's plans to expand its powers to withdraw funds directly from bank accounts to recover unpaid taxes, prompting human rights groups to express concerns about the erosion of individual sovereignty and financial autonomy. A petition opposing the UK's digital ID has garnered over 2.9 million signatures, reflecting growing public concern. Cybercrime expert Professor Alan Woodward has warned that storing ID data on a single database creates a 'hacking target' that could expose millions of records and disrupt essential services. The UK's Online Safety Bill has already led to arrests over online speech, and the freezing of bank accounts of dissenters during Canada's 2022 trucker protests has raised concerns about the potential for similar overreach in the future. A decentralized, blockchain-based framework could mitigate many of the risks associated with a centralized digital ID, such as surveillance, cyberattacks, and unauthorized data access. Projects like Ethereum, Hyperledger Indy, and Polygon ID are developing decentralized identifiers, verifiable credentials, and zero-knowledge proofs to replace legacy databases with cryptographic verification. However, decentralized identity faces practical obstacles, including the need for trusted issuers and independent validators to prevent any one group from controlling the system. Governance remains a significant challenge, with the need for a robust regulatory framework to ensure the integrity and security of the system. Bhutan's pilot digital identity program, which has migrated from Polygon to Ethereum, demonstrates the potential of blockchain-based systems in real-world environments. In contrast to the UK's BritCard proposal, Bhutan's approach is voluntary and built on decentralized technology. The UK's legal safeguards on privacy are weakening, with recent policy prioritizing state and business access to personal data over individual rights. The Data Use and Access Act 2025 expands state and corporate access to personal data while weakening individual rights, notably through broad 'legitimate interests' exemptions. Older frameworks like GDPR and the Human Rights Act aim to protect privacy and civil liberties, but can be bypassed through national security clauses, technicalities, and vague legislation. Without decentralized systems and strong legal safeguards, digital ID risks becoming a mechanism of control, rather than empowering citizens. The growing public pushback against a mandatory digital ID should serve as a warning, highlighting the need for a more cautious and considered approach to the implementation of digital identity systems.