Welcome to the Age of Digital ID
By Savannah Hamilton
Editor’s note: The opinions expressed here are those of the authors. View more opinions on ScoonTV
If you’ve spent any time online lately, you’ve probably noticed the growing buzz (or panic) around “Digital IDs.” Depending on who you ask, they’re either the future of civilization or the start of a techno-apocalypse.
Scroll through any social media comment section, and it sounds like a dystopian tech takeover is right around the corner. The truth? Not only is it coming, but whether you like it or not, it’s kinda already here. And chances are, you’re already part of the system.
Think about it. Your passport is probably biometric. Your phone unlocks with facial recognition or a fingerprint scan. You log into accounts with two-factor authentication. That’s right — if you’ve done any of those things, congratulations, you’re already living with a Digital ID.
Maybe it’s all harmless, maybe it’s not. Either way, the concept is spreading faster than most people can even keep up. And with AI increasingly running everything from public services to government workflows (Albania’s new digital minister being a perfect example), the demand for digitalization all around is only growing.
Redefining Digital ID
Because it’s not exactly what you think.
Long story short, a Digital ID is your verified identity in digital form, confirming who you are through secure apps, codes, or systems that connect to formal databases. It’s the online equivalent of flashing your passport, driver’s licence, national ID card, or whatever — only instead of plastic, it’s pixels.
However, digital identity systems come in many shapes and sizes, depending on who’s behind them and what they’re used for. Some are government-issued, while others live in the private sector.
Biometric IDs rely on your fingerprints or face — now built into passports, border systems, and even airport gates. Then there are your everyday logins, such as Apple ID, Google accounts, and online banking — all forms of digital verification we use without thinking twice. Finally, there are verification layers — those extra steps like two-factor authentication or digital certificates — a kind of online security blanket (because, you know… “hackers”).
So yes, even your Google Authenticator app technically counts as a Digital ID. Which means all this chatter about global identification systems isn’t entirely paranoia. Those smaller, everyday systems have quietly laid the groundwork for something much bigger — a world where digital verification isn’t optional, but expected.
Looking at all this, one could argue that bit by bit, we’re being conditioned to accept that nearly everything we do online will eventually be tied to our identity.
And this is exactly what people think when they hear “Digital ID.” Not convenient logins, but full-blown, state-linked control systems. But the kind where you can’t access healthcare, travel, or even buy groceries without scanning a government-issued QR code. And depending on how your country handled the COVID era, that image might trigger some not-so-distant PTSD from vaccine passes and travel permits.
So it’s worth looking at how we got here and how deep the rabbit hole goes. Because in a world that’s sprinting toward digitalization, the real question isn’t if this becomes the norm, it’s when.
After All… It’s Already Here
In much of the world, digital IDs aren’t some futuristic concept — they’re already a daily reality. Singapore and China, for example, have long embraced state-backed digital identity systems, integrating them into everything from healthcare to public transport. Meanwhile, India’s Aadhaar now links over a billion citizens to their biometric data, and Kenya’s Maisha Namba aims to do the same across East Africa.
Europe, however, is the one to watch, especially as it is set to roll out the Digital Identity Wallet as soon as next year. Because despite being a “union,” it’s still made up of 27 independent countries, and in many ways, it’s turning into a live experiment in what a globalized digital identity network might look like.
This massive project will allow citizens to store everything from ID cards and driver’s licences to diplomas and medical records in one encrypted app — recognized across all EU member states (and possibly beyond).
Naturally, some countries are already several steps ahead. Estonia long ago led the way with its e-ID, which lets citizens do everything from paying taxes to voting online. Croatia was one of many that followed with its eGrađani portal, where users can log into hundreds of services using a digital token issued by their bank or government office.
EU hopefuls are joining in too. Serbia’s eUprava offered similar capabilities even before Croatia’s rollout, and now Macedonia is piloting mUslugi, a national portal set to integrate full digital ID features soon. Beyond Europe, countries like the UK, Canada, and Armenia are also developing or testing national digital ID apps.
And honestly? People seem to love it. Especially in places where bureaucracy is practically a national sport, the chance to skip queues, notaries, and grumpy clerks feels revolutionary. One app, one login, and you can do it all from the comfort of your couch — renew your license, pay parking tickets, get your doctors’ prescriptions. No one thinks about it as “big bad digital ID,” but rather the digital equivalent of a VIP concierge, and that alone wins people over.
So it’s no surprise that few consider the long-term trade-offs. And why should they? In countries where trust in government is high (or simply unquestioned), convenience often outweighs caution. Though that’s not universal, of course.
At the same time, the EU’s new Entry/Exit System is already quietly taking things further. As of this month, non-EU travellers entering the Schengen Zone will need to submit fingerprints and facial scans — a process that will be fully integrated by April 2026. Officially, it’s about making travel simpler and tackling illegal immigration. Unofficially, critics argue that it’s the EU’s largest expansion of digital identity infrastructure — one edging uncomfortably close to surveillance territory, especially since refusal means denial of entry.
Meanwhile, the United States remains the outlier — at least kinda. Identity here is fragmented with Social Security numbers, state IDs, and login.gov for federal services. But if you think that all this data can’t already be cross-referenced in some database, are you even living in 2025? Between Apple ID, Google accounts, and facial recognition logins, Americans are already living under Big Tech instead of Big Brother. Not to mention, some states like Maryland and Arizona have already started testing driver’s licenses in Apple Wallets.
Now that we’ve established that digital ID is basically yesterday’s news, it’s fair to admit it’s not a complete disaster. In fact, in a perfect world, the concept would be brilliant. Streamlined services, no lost paperwork, no bureaucratic nightmares…etc. But let’s be real — the world’s far from ideal, so it’s worth taking a second look before picking sides.
Efficiency and Streamlining
There’s a reason so many countries have already peacefully embraced the idea.
As mentioned before, the dream scenario is no more endless paperwork, no more arguing at the DMV, no more dragging your birth certificate from one dusty office to another. You log in once, verify once, and suddenly, red tape no longer poses problems.
Reduced Fraud and Identity Theft
Digital IDs, when done right, make faking an identity a lot harder, which is a major problem, especially in the US. With built-in encryption, biometrics, and verification layers, it’s no longer as easy to forge documents or impersonate someone. For governments, that’s fewer fake welfare claims, passport scams, or illegal immigrants exploiting loopholes. For citizens, that’s peace of mind.
Modernizing Government
Digital ID isn’t just a tech upgrade — it’s a PR win, making the country look… well, advanced. A modern realization of Leeloo’s Multipass from The Fifth Element. Services become faster, more transparent, and less prone to corruption. Fewer face-to-face transactions mean fewer “informal payments,” and citizens in rural areas or those with mobility challenges (assuming they have smartphones and internet) can finally access services without travelling for hours. Oh, and as a bonus, all those notoriously unhelpful government workers will have fewer excuses for not doing their job.
Cross-Border Compatibility
On an increasingly connected and globalised planet, a digital identity that works across borders is a long-overdue 21st-century breakthrough, making it possible to work, study, and travel seamlessly — all while ditching the paperwork. In theory, it’s the digital version of the EU’s founding ideal of open borders, mutual trust, and fewer stamps in your passport. And on a larger scale, this can also help boost trade and economies.
Surveillance and Control
Of course, for every shiny new piece of progress, there’s a valid reason to pause and think.
The big issue. Once the infrastructure exists, it’s hard to unbuild or to predict how it’ll evolve. Today, it’s used for taxes, travel, or social benefits. Tomorrow? It could track your movements, purchases, or political leanings. And God forbid it’s ever tied to a social credit system. Privacy advocates have been raising red flags about this for years, arguing this is exactly how one accidentally sleepwalks into a surveillance state.
Privacy and Data Security
Tech gurus ask — who actually owns your digital self? The government? A contractor? Your phone company? Centralized databases are major hacker magnets, and history isn’t short on massive data leaks. Even with encryption, no system is immune to misuse, especially when public trust is already fragile.
Inequality and Access
Despite it being 2025, not everyone’s plugged in. Digital ID systems tend to assume you’ve got a smartphone, steady Wi-Fi, and a decent handle on tech — all of which leaves some people out. (But fun fact: some are actually looking at switching to older “dumb phones” just to avoid it.) Older citizens, rural communities, and low-income groups risk being left behind. Progress that excludes people isn’t really progress — it’s digital gatekeeping dressed up as modernization.
Technical Dependence
We all love convenience — until we don’t. Servers crash, power grids shut down, and phones get lost or stolen. If your entire legal existence lives in a cloud, what happens when you’re locked out of it? It’s not paranoia — it’s a perfectly reasonable question that’s often brushed aside with the famous last words of “don’t worry, we have backups.”
Further, by securing data, you’re potentially creating a permanent and indestructible record of your entire life. One that can be audited, tracked, and time-stamped with mathematical precision.
And once again, we have to be reminded that depending on who’s holding the keys, that’s either revolutionary or dystopian.
So, How Do We Make It Work?
Clearly, there are serious downsides — and for many, they still outweigh the perks. Sure, the efficiency is great until it starts feeling like surveillance. The convenience is nice until your access gets “temporarily suspended.” And in countries without strong privacy protections or independent courts, those risks aren’t theoretical — they’re very real.
So, if digital identity is here to stay, the real question isn’t whether we use it, but how to make it work without handing governments or corporations the keys to our lives. While this topic obviously deserves some serious high-level brainstorming, even a few common-sense principles could go a long way.
For one, physical IDs should never be entirely eliminated. Think of it like cash — most people use cards, but when the system crashes, you’ll be oh-so-grateful to find a few bills in your wallet. Tangible documents provide a safety net and proof that your existence doesn’t depend on an app.
Strong privacy laws and oversight are just as crucial. Citizens should have the right to know who’s accessing their data and why — and to delete or correct it when necessary. Without legal safeguards and serious penalties for misuse, all those promises about “secure” and “voluntary” systems mean nothing.
Transparency must also be non-negotiable. People deserve to know what’s being collected, how long it’s kept, and for what purpose. “Mission creep” — when systems built for one thing quietly expand into others — is exactly how democracies slide into dictatorships without realizing it.
Accessibility matters, too. Digital ID should make life easier for everyone, not just the tech-savvy or urban elite. Older citizens, rural communities, and those without stable internet must have other ways to access basic services. Convenience for some shouldn’t translate into exclusion for others.
And finally, no single entity (government or corporate) should hold full control. Oversight must be shared between independent regulators, civil society, and/or privacy watchdogs. Because if history has taught us anything, it’s that unchecked power eventually checks everyone else.
The Reality Check
We’re long past the point of asking if our lives will go digital — they already have. From banking to voting, every part of daily life is actively being streamlined into apps, logins, and cloud databases. So digital ID isn’t some “next big thing.” It’s the next logical and inevitable step we’ve largely already taken.
The real question is what kind of system we end up with. Handled wisely, digital identity could be one of the greatest tools of modernization — cutting bureaucracy, curbing corruption, and making services faster, fairer, and more transparent.
But handled recklessly, or deliberately exploited, it could become the ultimate nightmare surveillance machine, tracking, flagging, and filtering access to basic rights at the tap of a screen.
In the end, digital ID will shape our future, whether we like it or not. That’s why this moment matters. The decisions being made now, be it about privacy, data control, or oversight, will define how much freedom people actually have in a digital world.
So no, the answer isn’t panic. But it’s definitely not blind optimism either. Ask questions. Read the fine print. Hold the people designing these systems accountable. Because the real threat is not the technology itself, but rather who controls it and how much power we’re willing to give them.
Curtis Scoon is the founder of ScoonTv.com Download the ScoonTv App to join our weekly livestream every Tuesday @ 8pm EST! Support true independent media. Become a VIP member www.scoontv.com/vip-signup/ and download the ScoonTv App from your App Store.
