US Digital ID System Proceeds to Senate for Debate

A bill to establish a digital identity verification system has moved forward to the U.S. Senate for discussion. The “Improving Digital Identity Act of 2023” (S.884) has been introduced by Sens. Kyrsten Sinema and Cynthia Lummis. It was passed by the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee and introduced to Senate on March 21, 2023. The bill aims to address concerns that the current lack of reliable digital identification systems creates an attack vector for cyber adversaries and prevents valuable transactions from being conducted online, leading to a rise in identity theft and identity fraud in the U.S. The legislation will create an interagency task force to develop a public-private collaboration that will make it easier for citizens to engage in online transactions and prove their identity online.

European ID System

The adoption of digital identification is gaining ground globally as more governments begin to explore the potential benefits of a sound digital identification system. In the Western world, the European Union has been leading the push towards establishing a digital identity system. Recently, the European Parliament overwhelmingly approved a new digital identity framework that would provide EU citizens with digital access to key public services across EU borders, giving users complete control over their data and deciding what information to share and with whom.

James Melville, a political commentator, suggested instead of a digital ID that allows governments to snoop on citizens, it would be better to have one that allows citizens to monitor their governments, their expense accounts, and who they meet with. Melville believes that digital IDs are a means to manipulate individuals into submitting to government oversight and thereby lose their freedoms and human dignity.

Canadian Privacy Report

The proposal for a digital ID system has its detractors, including the Calgary-based Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms, which released a report highlighting concerns for financial surveillance and privacy related issues should such a system be implemented.