Mastodawn

AlisonW ♿🏳️‍🌈♾️Sep 25, 2025

ID cards are bad. Very bad.

1. Once they exist it will become necessary to always carry it. If you don't you must have something to hide, etc.
2. They can't stop people working in the 'black economy' because people currently employing those working for cash don't care.
3. It is another attack on trans and NB people (very unlikely someone would be allowed to have multiple IDs)
4. Massive data loss of personal information is highly likely.
5. Who pays? Why should they?
6. Police state becomes more likely with having your ID inspected whenever a copper wants to harass someone, especially POC.
7. OTHER OPTIONS ALREADY EXIST!

ID cards are a very bad, very dangerous, very expensive, and very risky idea.

ps I'm not a 'Brit'. I'm British, or more specifically English!
#IDcards #PoliceStateUK #BritCard

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Edzilla Sep 25, 2025

@AlisonW
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.

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ailepet Sep 25, 2025

@edzilla @AlisonW ID cars are not mandatory in France, aren't they? (or do we count passports as ID cards as well?)

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Stephen Kitt Sep 25, 2025

@ailepet @edzilla @AlisonW They’re not, and that’s the counterpoint to the “Once they exist it will become necessary to always carry it.” assertion in the first message. However they are becoming necessary in more and more situations (sitting exams for example; they’re also pretty much required for France Connect+ which is itself becoming more commonly required). But I know a number of people who’ve never had id and still get on fine for the time being.

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Stephen Kitt

@ailepet @edzilla @AlisonW I should add that passports are also valid for sitting exams, and more importantly that life has remained possible without id thanks to the efforts of many activists!