AlisonW β™ΏπŸ³οΈβ€πŸŒˆβ™ΎοΈ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

Show threadEdzillaSep 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.
Show threadCFySep 25, 2025

@edzilla @AlisonW

Same curiosity from a German perspective here - it is not mandatory to carry the ID card, but easy to do and good if you need proof of ID or proof of address (e.g. picking up a parcel, opening an account...)
Having lived in the UK for many years, I know that the driving licence is used there for the same purpose, but I find it discriminatory against people who don't have one. Never understood why the British are so against IDs.

Show threadπ”Έπ•Ÿπ•”π•šπ•–π•Ÿπ•₯ π•Šπ• π•¦π•Ÿπ••π•€ πŸ”‰Sep 25, 2025

@cfy @edzilla @AlisonW

If government were totally efficient (and totally benicent) people might not mind so much ...

History: Much of Europe had to endure first Napoleon and then Hitler, but Brits did not, so being subordinated to β€œthe state” feels objectionable.

(Not judging other jurisdictions; just trying to explain in a few words why I think compulsory ID is so objected to in UK)

Show threadCFy
@ancientsounds @edzilla @AlisonW
Just don't understand why an ID is subordination. It helps me to prove who I am for official purposes and makes it harder for others to impersonate me and cause me harm.
British citizens subordinate themselve to the state exactly like other nations' citizens do: they accept having an ID number (social security number) and have mandatory taxes, laws, police, prisons.
Misuse by a malevolent state is not an ID thing.
Sep 25, 2025 at 10:27pmWeb
Show threadπ”Έπ•Ÿπ•”π•šπ•–π•Ÿπ•₯ π•Šπ• π•¦π•Ÿπ••π•€ πŸ”‰Sep 25, 2025

@cfy @edzilla @AlisonW

There is logic in what you say, but it's not a q. of logic; it's about habits, perceptions, and TRUST. It's the obligation to β€œpresent your papers” that is what's objected to, I think.

Show threadπ”Έπ•Ÿπ•”π•šπ•–π•Ÿπ•₯ π•Šπ• π•¦π•Ÿπ••π•€ πŸ”‰Sep 25, 2025

@cfy

Also, the fact that this is an issue here proves that Brits do *not* subject themselves to the state in the same way as in other countries. Heck, it's not even the same way in Germany, Switzerland, and Sweden, right?

Show threadCFySep 25, 2025
@ancientsounds
Brits subject themselves even to unelected monarchy - no, sorry, I don't buy it.
It's "an issue" because it's being debated for a possible introduction, whilst other countries had it for years and nobody wants to get rid of it, so no discussion.
Don't know the details of IDs in Switzerland and Sweden so can't compare, but think they're fairly similar across Europe, certainly in the EU.
Also Brits already subject themselves to ID-systems: you can't enter your
/2
Show threadCFySep 25, 2025
@ancientsounds
country without a passport and you can't drive a car without a driver's licence.
Driver's licence has all the downsides of an ID (name, photo, address, DOB and can be requested by authorities) without the benfits of an ID (available to all - including non-drivers, accepted as proof of identity and address e.g. to open a bank account)
If the intention of an ID is to misuse it, fight the misusing institution not the ID as they will find other ways.
Show threadAlisonW β™ΏπŸ³οΈβ€πŸŒˆβ™ΎοΈSep 25, 2025
@cfy @ancientsounds @edzilla
My social security number (called the National Insurance number) has no security implications but is only used for employment (taxation) and benefits. It only gets used with government services.
Although NI numbers are supposed to be unique, assigned when someone gets their first paid job, they're actually easy to fake as difficult to check.