The digital revolution is spreading to government services, with several U.S. states offering digital IDs or developing their implementation. Nonetheless, states still require drivers to hold a physical driver’s license. As an example, Illinois rolled out digital driver’s licenses, but motorists must even have a physical version when behind the wheel. Moreover, while smartphone-stored identification cannot be counterfeited like traditional cards, some law enforcement agencies aren’t fully equipped to confirm the authenticity of digital IDs during traffic stops, underscoring how physical IDs aren’t yet obsolete.
Modern technology creates modern problems, whereas traditional driver’s licenses have quite a lot of built-in safety features and may be verified with the naked eye. For instance, Recent York State licenses feature tactile laser engraving and a secondary photo laser-etched into a transparent window. In contrast, most Digital IDs depend on verification by an app on one other device, which becomes a difficulty when such verification systems aren’t broadly adopted in areas like local law enforcement. Ultimately, digital IDs are useless if government agencies and personal businesses cannot confirm them.
Verification is a major adoption hurdle for digital ID
Eric Jorgensen, the Director of Arizona’s Motor Vehicle Division, explained to Government Technology that his state was caught in “a chicken-and-egg scenario.” To encourage adoption, Arizona developed its own verification app for public use. Jorgensen added:
“I do not particularly need to compete with the private sector for verifier apps. I’d like to be put out of business. The explanation we’re doing it’s just so that there is this level of credibility, to say if the state’s actually issuing this verifier app, you’ll be able to download and use it for compliance.”
Verification apps are also crucial to making sure privacy with digital IDs. Obviously, you mustn’t hand over your phone to a police officer for a warrantless search. When you can confirm your digital ID through a QR code scan or an NFC system just like contactless payment, it will only allow law enforcement to see the data they’re legally obliged to access. The convenience of getting vital credentials stored in your phone is tempting, but nobody should sacrifice their privacy for it.
This Article First Appeared At www.jalopnik.com
