The United Kingdom is moving forward with plans for a national digital identity system, despite widespread concerns from citizens and civil society groups. In response to a government consultation titled 'Making public services work for you with your digital identity,' the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) joined with other organizations to submit a detailed critique. The proposed system would store personal data like names, birth dates, nationality, and photos on personal devices, ostensibly to streamline identity verification. However, as EFF's submission highlights, the scheme raises six fundamental issues that cannot be resolved even with strong safeguards. Below, we break down these interconnected problems, which threaten privacy, security, and social equity.
