AIBU Digital ID ?

[ThatFairy]

It's difficult to source information on this but I've gathered we have three months before we will be given a digital ID in order to use social media. We will also not be able to work without it and so it will be compulsory (please check that information tis is just what I've gathered and it's hard to find all the information)

Will all the data from everything I typed on eg Mumsnet be collected and tied to the digital ID ? Every Google search or chat with ChatGPT in the past 5 years ?

Do we need to buy new devices and change our broadband provider before we are given this to protect our privacy ? Or is that just not enough as it is too late and they have our data already if we didn't use VPNs and use separate devices for social media and personal and civil accounts...

Maybe it's for a greater good that our privacy and free speech will be compromised but people are already in fear of getting arrested for saying the wrong thing online and for speaking against the government.

This will completely change how we communicate online. Some social media sites will still be accessible via Tor. I would appreciate input from anyone with knowledge and shared views on protecting our privacy and free speech

x is bullshit.

if I see something on there it’s actually more likely to be untrue

How about embracing it and thinking positively. A lot of change is good

@Gladystheimpaler I'm totally aware of the need for children to be protected online but this will come at the expense of our online anonymity privacy and free speech

Well that’s goodbye from me then. I don’t have a passport or drivers licence so I can’t have a government gateway account. I tried to sign up but they wouldn’t recognise me without two forms of photo id. So I can’t check my pension or have an online nhs account and now no mumsnet either I suppose.

I’m aware that the government is looking at restrictions on children accessing the internet. I’m not aware of any additional restrictions on adults using social media or that the failure to obtain a digital id within the next three months will cause any of us to lose our employment.

OP, anyone can go on social media and make any sort of claim. That doesn’t make it true. Take a look at Trump’s social media if you don’t believe me.

If only we had id cards.

I don’t understand why there is so much anger about the idea of them when they would solve a lot of issues

It’s about the phone providers making sure that protections are in place to stop children from accessing dangerous, harmful and illegal content on the internet - what’s wrong with that ?

No surprise that the “protect our kids” brigade are against it … “protect our kids” unless you can create some ill-found outrage, to rail against the government with.

You have to think of how it will be possible to stop children accessing social media by age verification without everyone having to provide age ie identity verification to also use it

My understanding is that it’s not age verification for all social media just dodgy or dangerous stuff.

to be honest we live in an age where online verification is needed to protect us all.

Where i come from it would be used instead of bollocks, not by me because I have no trouble saying bollocks.
Although I am in agreement that our government will make a mess of it. Constant IT glitches and hacking anyone? Infornation always being leaked "accidentally ".

@ThatFairy The government has given apple and Google 3 months to come up with a way to prevent under 16s from being able to take, upload, view, download or be sent nudes or sexualised images and if they dont then the government will legislate to do it themselves.
Neither apple or Google will comply with the demands of our government so then the government will have to find a work around and get new laws made to back up their work around and will be dragged through the crts over it.
Oh and to have the sort of access that your concerned about all data protection laws would have to be repealed 1st

Under the UK's Online Safety Act, social media platforms and apps that host or distribute age-restricted content (such as pornography, or material related to self-harm, suicide, and eating disorders) are legally required to deploy robust age verification and assurance checks to prevent access by under-18s

Signing up for platforms or attempting to view certain sensitive or adult content now frequently prompts an extra step to verify you meet the age requirement

VPN restrictions: The law requires platforms to take reasonable steps to prevent children from circumventing age protections by using Virtual Private Networks (VPNs)

Source GOV UK via Google AI

But how would I get one? I can’t prove who I am?

After reading this thread, I'd be up for having digital ID to access social media, if obtaining one involved some sort of IQ test...

It's like they denied you identity documents your whole life but now because they want to monitor everyone they will probably just give you one with a photo of your face and a council tax bill

When did you last try to open a Gov Gateway account? You don't need photo ID for your government gateway for the new One Login:

"Users without photo ID can use their UK bank account details and HMRC tax record to prove their identity."

The government has told Google and apple to put something on all phone computers etc that will automatically block social media and taking or sending/receiving nudes etc unless people prove that they are over 18. The tec companies have been given 3 months to do it or the uk government will legislate for it, no explanation of how they will do this or in what form it will be but you can guarantee that it will be a shit show that will result in many crt cases

It's almost like you've strung a load of dog-whistles together and then added a disclaimer putting the responsibility onto other people to check their sources, OP.

I do wonder why the “protect our kids” mob think that their desire for anonymity, Top Trumps preventing the creation and distribution of sexualised images of Children.

added a disclaimer putting the responsibility onto other people to check their sources, OP

As is correct. Always check your information and do your own research.

@ExtraOnions I do think it's an important step to protect children and maybe this will be for a greater good but it doesn't change the fact that our rights and freedoms are being continuously eroded

You have to prove your age to use Apples iOS 26, well I didn't because they knew I was old because I have had my account since early 2000s. If not you need either a credit card, passport or driving licence to prove it, so not things everyone has.

How have you got through life up until now without being able to prove your identity - don’t you need it for bank accounts/ registering at a doctors etc?

They would require someone to sign that the photo is of you (like for new passport and children’s passports) and probably some non-photographic id such as a birth certificate, council tax or utility bill.

What is it going to stop you doing that you want to do?

Not everyone knows someone of standing in the community or in a list of certain jobs though so hopefully they won’t use that old fashioned way for digital ID

Well in all fairness you do need someone to verify that the photo is you otherwise anyone could take out id in your name.
But would be good if you could go have it verified by an official employee at a post office, passport centre, town hall etc