Swiss voters narrowly approve plan for electronic ID cards

Imogen Foulkes | BBC

Swiss voters have narrowly approved a plan to introduce voluntary electronic identity cards.

With all votes counted, 50.4% of those who voted said yes to the proposal, while 49.6% rejected it.

The closeness of the ballot is a surprise. Opinion polls had suggested up to 60% backed digital IDs, which also had the approval of the Swiss government, and both houses of parliament.

It was Switzerland's second vote on digital IDs. An earlier proposal was rejected in 2021, amid concerns the data would be held centrally, and controlled largely by private providers.

Sunday's revised proposal keeps the system in government hands. Data will be stored only on the smartphones of individual users, and digital IDs will be optional.

Citizens can continue to use national identity card if they choose, which has been standard for decades in Switzerland.

To further ease privacy concerns, a particular authority seeking information on a person – such as proof of age or nationality, for example – will only be able to check for those specific details.

It comes after the UK government announced plans earlier this week to introduce its own digital ID - which would be mandatory for employment - as part of efforts to curb the number of illegal migrants living and working in the country. 

Comment: It's the other way around. The flood of immigrants - illegal or otherwise - was the means to justify a new digital tyranny. Next stop full integration into a AI-SMART infrastructure from your phone. The only problem is, you won't be able to opt out and your financial, health and political freedom will be gone. All they need is a major crisis (war with Russia; civil war) and they hope everyone will be running to Daddy state to save them. Hello Dr Faustus. 

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