Edzilla

@underseamonkey@fosstodon.org You passport is electronic - apparently in the UK it's since 2010. It's also very much not isolated to the passport office - that's not how governments work. How do you think the passport office gets/checks your date of birth and other identifying information? @duckwhistle@mastodon.org.uk @TimWardCam@c.im @jonpsp@mstdn.social @cfy@mas.to @AlisonW@fedimon.uk

@underseamonkey@fosstodon.org So what's the difference between your passport and an ID card? @duckwhistle@mastodon.org.uk @TimWardCam@c.im @jonpsp@mstdn.social @cfy@mas.to @AlisonW@fedimon.uk

@duckwhistle@mastodon.org.uk Again, why would they need an ID card for that? Any government would already have that information. You are already required to prove your identity in some situations, right? How do you do it currently? @underseamonkey@fosstodon.org @TimWardCam@c.im @jonpsp@mstdn.social @cfy@mas.to @AlisonW@fedimon.uk

@underseamonkey@fosstodon.org @TimWardCam@c.im @jonpsp@mstdn.social @cfy@mas.to @AlisonW@fedimon.uk Why would it need to be in a single place? It's not required to make an ID card, either physical or digital. My belgian card is a physical card with a certificate signed by the state's certificate authority. There is no overarching database with everything about me in it. That certificate can then be used to authenticate to the online taxes portal, the online benefits portal. The chip on the card only contains the exact same things printed on it

@underseamonkey@fosstodon.org Again, why? The government already has all this information in a database somewhere, there's no reason for it to be any more or less secure. And if your employer/insurer requires a proof of ID, using a certificate based one rather than a utilities bill LOWERS the risk of ID theft, it does not increase it @TimWardCam@c.im @jonpsp@mstdn.social @cfy@mas.to @AlisonW@fedimon.uk

@AlisonW@fedimon.uk I'm curious, as a Belgian with a mandatory ID card (and French, same situation), it's never felt like such a huge issue. You can get your gender changed fairly easily and it is reflected on the ID card. and it makes identifying with online government services much easier. (think taxes, unemployment benefits, etc) It has zero impact on taxes avoidance or anything like that but at least in Belgium it was never meant to so that's ok.