In case you are wondering if only the UK is working on this... buckle up:
https://commission.europa.eu/strategy-and-policy/priorities-...
https://ec.europa.eu/digital-building-blocks/sites/spaces/EU...
Britain to introduce compulsory digital ID for workers
361–370 of 809 posts
Re: Britain to introduce compulsory digital ID for workers
#362A secure, optional digital ID could be useful. But not in today’s UK. Why? Because the state has already shown it can’t be trusted with our data. - Snoopers’ Charter (Investigatory Powers Act 2016): ISPs must keep a year’s worth of records of which websites you visit. More than 40 agencies—from MI5 to the Welsh Ambulance Service—can request it. MI5 has already broken the rules and kept data it shouldn’t have. - Encry…
Was reading through your post, finding it difficult to find fault with anything you were saying, but something wasn't sitting right. And then ... > I'm certain it's worked well in other countries It has! In the Netherlands for example, it's just an incredibly convenient system, and if there's anything dodgy going on I'm not aware of it. So what makes the UK so different to the Netherlands? Genuine question, because I…
It's the difference between proportional voting vs winner takes it all. In the latter case you can't really hold politicians accountable, as you will have to choose between effectively throwing your vote away or voting for the one opposition candidate, that often will be just as bad.
While the UK have some level of representativeness, each circuit has a winner takes it all structure, making change quite hard to achieve on a larger scale.
Re: Britain to introduce compulsory digital ID for workers
#363In addition to all the issues mentioned in the article, this seems to mean that UK citizens will effectively be forced to accept the terms of service of one of two US companies (Apple or Google). If you must have either an Android or iOS device to run this digital ID app (which presumably will be distributed via the Play Store on Android), there's no other option!
For me a big red flag is that the government is using deceit and dishonesty to push this: " in an effort to crack down on illegal migrant workers " is complete, transparent rubbish.
Of all the things there are to complain about these ID cards, I don’t think this is the one to choose.
Starmer has been ambivalent on ID cards (at least compared to Blair, who must think Xmas has come twice this year). Really the only reason this is being introduced is because it lets Labour look like they’re trying to tackle illegal immigration/employment/benefits-claiming.
Reform (led by Trump’s mini-me) is making political progress hand over fist by casting immigration as the root of all evil. I’m pretty certain this is Labour’s response. They don’t want the populist (otherwise known as “batshit insane”) policies Reform are proposing (“end all immigration, send all immigrants back home”) - but a more-moderate “you need to prove you’re entitled to work/live here/claim benefits” seems on-message to me.
So for once it might just be ok to take a politicians word at face value. This doesn’t preclude nefarious use later on, of course…
Re: Britain to introduce compulsory digital ID for workers
#364People already work illegally. They get paid cash, off the books. New forms of ID won't stop this.
I don't think the point is to eliminate all illegal work.
But the new form of ID makes work place checks real easy and fast.
Add a real hefty fine for the owner and possibly ban from conducting any form business for a few years, that will have undoubtedly have effect.
Re: Britain to introduce compulsory digital ID for workers
#365Earlier quoted context omitted.
I don't think any of that matters any more, the issue is so firmly in the public eye that Labour need to show that they've solved it whether it's a 'real' problem or not. > unlikely to gain them many Farage supporters Farage is polling ahead of both major parties at the moment. That support came from somewhere. To characterise all of those supporters as only interested in populist bastardry seems a bit of a surface t…
> Instead for decades now it has just tinkered at the edges, seemingly run by ambitionless accountants. Shuffling half a percent here, half a percent there, not really achieving very much but spewing vast volumes of hot air Speaking from the other side of the pond, we can say quite confidently that the solution is not electing someone who will make reckless, bold moves. The brain trust here voted against “ambitionles…
Agreed, but unfortunately at times when things seem not to be going so well in general, people are prone to electing the person that promises them large positive changes by throwing out the stale old rulebook. Even if it’s not credible. Even when large parts of what’s apparently going wrong have been invented by that same bad actor…
I think this is part of why Brexit got through as well, some people felt it was a way to shake up a crusty, unresponsive establishment. That didn’t go so great!
Re: Britain to introduce compulsory digital ID for workers
#366Any digital ID not using a form of blockchain tech is doing it wrong in my view.
Re: Britain to introduce compulsory digital ID for workers
#367Earlier quoted context omitted.
For me a big red flag is that the government is using deceit and dishonesty to push this: " in an effort to crack down on illegal migrant workers " is complete, transparent rubbish.
Of all the things there are to complain about these ID cards, I don’t think this is the one to choose. Starmer has been ambivalent on ID cards (at least compared to Blair, who must think Xmas has come twice this year). Really the only reason this is being introduced is because it lets Labour look like they’re trying to tackle illegal immigration/employment/benefits-claiming. Reform (led by Trump’s mini-me) is making…
If that's Labour's response to Reform UK then it is the most ill-thought-out, if not idiotic, possible:
There is a real issue with immigration in the UK.
People want actual action on immigration, not gimmicks, not lies. The Conservatives were annihilated because their voters caught up with the fact that they were lying (talking tough while actually pushing immigration higher).
Those Digital IDs would do nothing against illegal immigration considering existing right to work and right to rent legal checks. It is clear and people see it, so see previous point. "you need to prove you’re entitled to work/live here/claim benefits" is already the case and has always been the case. He is copying the disastrous Conservative strategy to talk tough while doing nothing and in fact actually keeping immigration up.
There have been previous attempts to introduce ID cards. People have always been generaly against them and the most against them are probably those already supporting Reform UK or the libertarians on both sides. So he's only eroding the little support he has left (progressist liberals) while strengthening the opinion of those already against him. I was looking at the readers' comments on The Guardian and there are overwhelmingly opposed to the proposal. So if even them turn against Starmer he is well and truly toast.
Re: Britain to introduce compulsory digital ID for workers
#368Earlier quoted context omitted.
I don’t own and refuse to purchase an iPhone or Android device. Where would that leave me? Fortunately I am not a UK citizen! This effectively blocks development of mobile Linux as an alternative in the UK. It is already enough of a challenge to get people to try Linux phones without support for their favorite apps, and now it’s a requirement to own a US big tech pocket spy device? Absolutely absurd and Orwellian, an…
Orwell was born in India. You should learn a little about him before saying everything is Orwellian
British India.
Re: Britain to introduce compulsory digital ID for workers
#369Quite ... a papers please moment.. if I recall correctly, South Korea has it where you have to register with the government to get an assigned username and password.
Re: Britain to introduce compulsory digital ID for workers
#370Earlier quoted context omitted.
Of course a digital id doesn’t prevent illegal immigration. Proper border checks prevent illegal immigration. The digital ids are introduced for other reasons - this is something Tony Blair has been pushing for a long time.
My understanding is that it makes checking job eligibility easier, so enforcement of non compliance is easier. A big source of illegal immigration is visa overstay ( https://migrationobservatory.ox.ac.uk/resources/briefings/un... ), which ID can solve by tracking the visa status. There are benefits to UK citizens, such as being easier to open a bank account and to comply with Voter ID laws.
What a lovely framing that is. Since time immemorial our right to vote without having to present papers was prized and protected and caused no appreciable problems whatsoever. Then, finally, in one of these inevitable spasms of authoritarianism, they do away with it and we're now turned away from the polling station unless we can show our permission slip.
Then they come up with even more papers for us, and the argument for it is that it's now a benefit that we can more easily comply with Voter ID laws.
Bugger off with that. Don't talk to me about any "benefit" in relation to voter ID that isn't abolishing it.