What Is a Digital ID — And How Will It Work?
“A digital identity is a digital representation of your identity information — your name, your age, your unique attributes — in a way that can be verified, shared, and trusted.”
In our analogue world, identity is tied to physical cards, documents, passports, driving licenses, and so forth. But in a digital age, governments and tech designers are increasingly moving identity into the virtual realm. A digital ID (or digital identity) is a secure, verifiable credential or set of credentials held in electronic form — often in a digital “wallet” or system — which can serve as proof of who you are, what rights you hold, and attributes you possess (age, citizenship, work eligibility, etc.).
Below is a breakdown of how it’s built, how it functions, and what roles it may play.
The Architecture & Key Components
To understand how a digital ID works, it helps to see its building blocks and how they interact.
| Component | Purpose / Function | Notes & Variants |
|---|---|---|
| Identity Provider / Issuer | The authority (often government or certified body) that issues the verified credentials | e.g. government agencies, licensed private firms under a trust framework |
| Digital Wallet / Credential Store | Secure place (on device, cloud, or hybrid) where your digital credentials are stored | e.g. smartphone apps, secure modules, encrypted containers |
| Verification / Attestation Layer | Mechanism by which another party (e.g. employer, service provider) checks that your credential is valid and belongs to you | Could use QR codes, NFC, APIs, cryptographic proofs TechUK+3Juniper Research+3TechUK+3 |
| Trust Framework / Standards & Rules | The legal, technical, and policy rules that define how identity systems must behave (privacy, security, interoperability) | UK has a “digital identity and attributes trust framework” for certifying services. |
| User / Identity Holder | They request and validate the credentials from the holder | In advanced models, user control is central (see “self-sovereign identity” below) |
| Relying Party / Verifier | The service or entity needing proof of identity or attributes (e.g. employer, bank, government department) | They request and validate the credential from the holder |
Flow: How It Works, Step by Step
- Enrollment / Verification
The user (you) provides proofs (physical ID, biometrics, documents) to the issuer. The issuer validates your identity and issues one or more verifiable credentials (VCs). - Credential Storage
Those credentials are stored in your digital wallet (on your phone, a secure module, or encrypted cloud). - Request for Proof / Verification
When a verifier (e.g. employer) needs confirmation, they request proof of specific attribute(s) (for example: “Do you have the right to work in the UK?”). - Selective Disclosure / Sharing
You choose which attribute(s) to share (name, work eligibility, age, etc.). Cryptographic proofs (zero-knowledge proofs, digital signatures) allow verification without exposing all your data. - Verification by Verifier
The verifier checks the credential’s authenticity (signature, issuer, revocation status) and confirms the attribute is valid. - Revocation / Updates
Credentials can be revoked, updated, or expired. The system must check that the credential hasn’t been revoked.
In more advanced systems, the user may never expose all underlying data — only the proof that they meet a requirement (e.g. “I am over 18”) without revealing the exact birthdate.
UK’s Digital ID Approach: The BritCard Proposal & GOV.UK Wallet
In the UK, the government is working toward a digital identity ecosystem, with a few key developments and proposals on the table:
- A proposed BritCard digital ID would be a smartphone-based verifiable credential. Employers or landlords could verify it via a free verifier app.
- It would be issued gratis to those legally allowed to live or work in the UK (citizens, visa holders, etc.).
- The government has created a UK digital identity and attributes trust framework, defining requirementsand certification standards for digital ID services.
- The Data (Use and Access) Act received Royal Assent, which supports the future rollout of trusted digital identity services.
- The government is also enabling the use of trusted digital identity services and working on GOV.UK One Login to make access smoother.
- In past years, the UK operated GOV.UK Verify (an identity assurance system) which ran from 2016 to 2023, allowing citizen verification across government services with multiple identity providers. Wikipedia
So the UK is not reinventing identity — it’s shifting from fragmented, paper-heavy systems to a unified model.
Strengths, Risks & Tensions
No system is perfect. Digital ID offers powerful benefits — and serious dangers.
| Strengths / Promises | Risks / Critiques |
|---|---|
| Privacy loss: centralised systems may become surveillance tools | Marginalisation: people without phones or tech access could be excluded |
| Reduced fraud: easier to spot false documents or duplicate identities Tony Blair Institute+1 | Cybersecurity risks: a breach could expose entire populations |
| Cost savings & government efficiency Tony Blair Institute+1 | Function creep: once built, the system may expand into ever more controls |
| Interoperability: use one identity across many institutions | Technical failures, revocation loopholes, and misuse of biometric data |
| Selective disclosure & cryptographic privacy tools (in better designs) | Technical failures, revocation loopholes, misuse of biometric data |
| Empowering cross-border identity (EU Digital Identity Wallet, etc.) Wikipedia+1 | Loss of anonymity; coercion; authoritarian abuse |
One significant variation is Self-Sovereign Identity (SSI): a model where you — the individual — truly own your credentials and share them without relying on centralised intermediaries. SSI frees you from depending entirely on governments or tech giants, though it introduces complexity and trust challenges.
What the Future May Hold
The landscape of digital identity is not static. It evolves fast. Here are trends, predictions, and paths that may shape how digital IDs operate in the days ahead:
- Wider Use Across Sectors
Today, ID is often for government services, banking, or employment. Tomorrow, we may see it used for social media verification, medical records, travel, voting, and more. - Mobile Driver’s Licenses & Travel IDs (mDLs)
Many countries are piloting or adopting mobile driving licenses — digitally held licenses on your phone. That same format may extend to passports, immigration credentials, and visas. - Privacy-Enhancing Technologies (PETs)
To counter surveillance worries, tools like zero-knowledge proofs, homomorphic encryption, and decentralised identity may become standard. These let systems verify without exposing unnecessary personal data. - Global & Cross-Border Identity
Moves like the EU Digital Identity Wallet aim for interoperable identity across nations, travel, commerce, and public services. - Increased Regulatory Oversight & Standards
As digital identity becomes more ubiquitous, regulations, transparency laws, audits, and accountability will matter more. Identity frameworks are likely to be subject to legal review, censorship risk, and data rights movements. - AI & Identity Fraud Arms Race
As AI grows, identity systems must defend against deepfakes, synthetic identities, and automated impersonation. Identity platforms will employ AI to detect anomalies. - Function Creep & Expansion
One of the greatest risks: the system doesn’t stop. What begins as a credential for employment might expand to control access to health, education, mobility, benefits — the “only identity that matters.” - Pushback, Reversal, or Decentralisation
Resistance to overreach could push citizens toward decentralised self-sovereign models, open standards, or the use of alternative systems (blockchain identity, peer-to-peer verification).
Final Thoughts & Cautions
Digital identity is likely to become foundational to how societies operate. But with foundational systems come foundational risk. A digital ID system is not just a tool — it’s a power lever.
If built with integrity, transparency, privacy by design, and strong oversight, digital ID can reduce friction, fight fraud, and unleash innovation. But if built without care, it can enable surveillance, exclusion, and coercion.
I leave you with this: when governments or corporations ask for identity in a centralised, opaque way, pause and ask why. Because identity is not merely a credential — it’s your right to belong, to move, to act, and to exist.
If you liked this post, tap the little heart ❤️. And I really want to hear from you: do you see digital ID as progress, or a gateway to control? Leave your thoughts below.
