Digital ID apps from a government-approved list can now be used to buy alcohol in English and Welsh pubs along with other licensed premises.
The scheme is voluntary for now and is intended to be simple, cheap and privacy-focused, with certified digital verification service (DVS) providers required to meet government standards so the checks cannot be easily spoofed.
Planned expansions to the scheme include offline verification and extending it to the sale of other goods and services, such as tobacco and vapes.
Big Brother Watch has raised concerns that businesses could gradually phase out traditional forms of ID and called for the Government to prevent digital verification from becoming de facto mandatory.
This story has been republished with permission from RCR Bites. For news like this direct and free to your Inbox every day, go to biteme.news to sign up for RCR Bites.
If you are a media outlet interested in republishing RCR Bites stories, please contact inbox@rcr.media.
