A large number of Britons have photos or scans of their official identification on their phones.
The need for digital driver's licenses is more urgent than ever.
A recent study has revealed that one third of Brits, and nearly half of young people, have a photo of their identification stored on their mobile phones. This phenomenon is more pronounced among younger citizens, where 46% of those aged 16 to 24 and 51% of those aged 25 to 34 keep such a file. Despite the carelessness this may generate, 15% of UK residents have fallen victim to fraud in the last month, a problem that particularly affects the younger population.
In terms of digital security, 26% of Brits keep copies of their identification in multiple places, and one in five even stores IDs of friends or family on their devices. The situation worsens when it’s noted that nearly a quarter (23%) of respondents store banking information in unencrypted folders.
With the intention of introducing digital driving licenses through a new app from the UK government in 2025, these digital identifiers could provide an additional layer of security that many citizens need, thanks to improvements in encryption. A total of 49% of the population feels uncomfortable sharing bank statements with their landlords, while 58% are reluctant to provide personal information when signing up for services. The new digital IDs issued by the government could alleviate these privacy concerns and facilitate online verification processes.
Moreover, the possibility for digital ID users to hide certain data, such as their address, when using their ID to prove their age is a relevant aspect. John Cullen, Strategic Marketing Director at Thales for Digital Identity, addressed the situation by stating that “with secure digital identities, consumers can protect their personal information more effectively.”
However, there is uncertainty about whether these UK digital IDs will integrate with native smartphone systems, such as Apple Wallet. Citizens have also expressed concerns about the stability and usability of this new feature in the app, recalling similar experiences during the pandemic with the NHS.