“Big Brother in your pocket:” Privacy advocates slam UK ID digital wallet proposal

Privacy advocates have slammed the UK government's plans to create a digital identity wallet mobile app, describing it as "putting Big Brother in your pocket."

The GOV.UK Wallet and App are a means "to simplify access to services and documents," reads the official announcement published on Wednesday, January 21, 2025. Citizens will be able to carry government-issued ID documents, like their driver’s license or passport, directly on their phones – similar to how many of us currently store our bank cards.

The plan echoes the EU Digital Identity Wallet scheme which passed last year despite criticism from privacy experts. In the UK, like in the EU, the concerns are the same – greater convenience shouldn't come at the expense of increased surveillance and data security risks.

"Honeypot for hackers"

With the GOV.UK Wallet set to be launched during the summer, Britons will soon be able to scan their ID documents digitally within the app to make it easier to prove their age or identity as needed.

The ID Wallet app will also enable citizens to easily manage all of their government activities and access public services in one place.

Despite the benefits, Silkie Carlo, Director of UK-based privacy advocate group Big Brother Watch is concerned by the huge amount of personal information that will go into the app.

"The Government is putting Big Brother in your pocket with a new app to access all your identity documents and more," she warns,

The government assures that the "technology will make use of security features that are built into modern smartphones, including facial recognition checks similar to those used when people pay using a digital bank card."

Carlo, however, is still worried about the security risks of storing such sensitive identifier information within one single application. She said: "The addition of our facial recognition data makes this sprawling identity system incredibly sensitive, intrusive, and a honeypot for hackers."

After all, the UK public system has a bad track record in keeping people's data safe. In March last year, for example, a ransomware gang hacked Into NHS Dumfries and Galloway's digital database and stole 3TB of identifying information belonging to both staff and patients.

As mentioned earlier, the GOV.UK Wallet is set to be launched in the summer of 2025, for both iOS and Android devices. The digital version of the Veteran Card will become available first, with the mobile driver’s license following later in the year. All other ID documents and digital services are expected to be up and running by 2027.

According to the UK Transport Secretary, Heidi Alexander, this represents a "game changer" for all Brits using their driving license as ID. "The innovation puts power back in the hands of the people, making everyday interactions faster, easier, and more secure," she added.

This is not how Carlo from Big Brother Watch feels. While the UK government should modernize its ID system and give people digital options, she believes this approach risks achieving the opposite than intended – "actually narrowing our choices and control over our own data," said Carlo.

All in all, Carlo thinks that this system will ultimately disadvantage all people who still rely on non-digital ID forms. She said: "Despite our campaign, the government is inexplicably refusing to legally protect the right to use non-digital ID, and hasn't set out whether we can control how much of our sensitive information will be available via this wallet."