‘Labour needs to make digital ID boring if it’s to be a successful policy – here’s how’

Days after digital ID was announced by the Labour government, a petition against the rollout was launched – with the current number of signatures totalling just under three million people.

Whilst recent reaction to Labour policy announcements might indicate that we shouldn’t be surprised, it is striking because the government had all the insight it needed to make this a success. The only problem was, they drew the wrong lessons from it. Using the government and the Party’s existing insights, here is how the government could still make Digital ID a success. 

Fundamentally, digital ID has not landed with voters because it is an emotionally charged issue and the government launched it as if it were a purely bureaucratic one. We’ve seen intense emotional reactions to policies of late. Take the OSA enforcement measures, which requires people to verify their identity online to access “potentially harmful” content. 

Social media was awash with reels and TikToks warning people that this was the latest attempt to wield control over the public and that their identities would likely be leaked if they were to “hand over” their personal information to websites subject to regulation.

READ MORE: ‘Done right, digital ID could restore trust in the state’

Announcing digital ID without an electoral mandate has provoked accusations of authoritarianism and earned criticism for being antithetical to Labour’s perceived values. It thus could appear inauthentic to Labour’s supporters and untrustworthy to the wider population. 

Is it all over for digital ID? Of course not. The Labour Party has proved it can handle such emotive policy areas with more finesse. Many would argue that the handling of the assisted dying debate stands as a good example of how to approach a prickly issue with dignity. If they were to treat digital ID in a similarly sensitive manner, they might be able to win the public back. 

So how can the Labour Party go about saving the digital ID policy? 

Make digital ID mundane

Labour Together research shows some voters who support the measures do so because it reduces illegitimate access to public services and deters migration. Conversely, the same research found that 40% of people believe that the technology could be misused by the government further down the line. 

What unites these groups is that they feel the introduction of digital ID is a monumental shift in policy, for good or ill. Whether it concerns only a minority – such as illegal migrants – or a majority of the population, they expect widescale punitive effects that will change the social fabric of Britain. This is inarguably high-stakes and potentially quite scary for voters.

To bring digital ID down to the level of low-stakes, everyday situations where it would be useful would help assuage fears. Cool the temperature and focus on the benefits of having your ID on your phone in situations like purchasing alcohol or going to the cinema. Roll it out with the intention of making people’s lives easier to earn trust – and be clear about this intention in your messaging. Speaking of…

Make digital ID clear

What is it, and why are you doing it? Is it compulsory or not? How will it impact the average person? Is a digital ID “card” or a glorified NI number? How does this fit into a wider political vision for improving access to public services? 

Barely a week since the announcement the government had to clarify that it would only be for those looking for work that would need to have a digital ID, when originally it was thought that every citizen would need to have one (Full Fact has a great breakdown on the comms around this). Surprises and disordered messaging are the fastest ways to erode trust with voters – messaging must be laser focused.

READ MORE: Majority of Labour members back digital ID card rollout, poll reveals

Make digital ID secure 

What is the UK’s answer to ensure people feel safe to use the technology? When it comes to individual use of ID, privacy & security are the top challenges – challenges largely unaddressed by government. It makes sense that for a product that won’t be launched for at least a few years, that the security isn’t perfectly designed. 

However, with cyber attacks on huge international businesses in the news every few weeks, voters will obviously be particularly sensitive to security measures – and not having a plan appears unprepared. The government’s research shows that 79% of respondents felt that privacy and security were the top factors in deciding whether to use a digital identity. This should have been at the heart of their messaging, and needs to be going forward. 

Make digital ID consensual

Taking lessons from the assisted dying campaign – encourage the public to write to their MPs with their concerns and questions and/or run a consultation about the timelines for rolling out ID. There are civic questions to be answered here – and the public doesn’t trust the government to answer them without voters’ active participation in the development process.

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How to avoid this happening again?

Perhaps most importantly, the government needs to more seriously interrogate the sentiment behind new policies before announcing them. In the government’s own research, it noted that the most common use case for individuals reporting use of a digital identity service was to access online game or gambling accounts (38%), applying for a credit card or loan online (36%) or setting up and managing insurance policies (28%). 

Considering all three of these reveal highly personal insights about the user, is it any wonder that people are hesitant to attach their passports or medical records to the same digital footprint? 

Labour must learn to build policy communications around public feeling, not just policy intention. That emotional insight is the dividing line between a policy that lands vs one that backfires.

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