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Future Lives: Citizens of Britain Losing Their Freedom and How They Live Their Lives
- Linda Aitken-Smith
- Oct 22
- 22 min read
Note: This Blog will be updated as more Information becomes available.
Labour Government Digital ID Scheme!
The Labour Government say that A new digital ID scheme will help combat illegal working while making it easier for the vast majority of people to use vital government services.
There has already been a backlash to the scheme, with a petition attracting nearly three million signatures
The Petition Do not introduce Digital ID cards is currently on, Petitions UK Government and Parliament.
There were 2,912,046 signatures as of 22nd October 2025 at 17.47p.m
The Petition says ...We demand that the UK Government immediately commits to not introducing a digital ID cards. There are reports that this is being looked at. We think this would be a step towards mass surveillance and digital control, and that no one should be forced to register with a state-controlled ID system. We oppose the creation of any national ID system.
ID cards were scrapped in 2010, in our view, for good reason. (See 1: below).
Parliament will consider this for a debate
Parliament considers all petitions that get more than 100,000 signatures for a debate.
Government Response
This response was given on 2 October 2025
We will introduce a digital ID within this Parliament to help tackle illegal migration, make accessing government services easier, and enable wider efficiencies. We will consult on details soon.
The Government has announced plans to introduce a digital ID system which is fit for the needs of modern Britain. We are committed to making people’s everyday lives easier and more secure, to putting more control in their hands (including over their own data), and to driving growth through harnessing digital technology. We also want to learn from countries which have digitised government services for the benefit of their citizens, in line with our manifesto commitment to modernise government.
Currently, when UK citizens and residents use public services, start a new job, or, for example, buy alcohol, they often need to present an assortment of physical documents to prove who they are or things about themselves.
This is both bureaucratic for the individual and creates space for abuse and fraud.
This includes known issues with illegal working and modern slavery, while the fragmented approach and multiple systems across the Government make it difficult for people to access vital services.
Further, there are too many people who are excluded, like the 1 in 10 UK adults who don’t have a physical photo ID, so they can struggle to prove who they are and access the products and services they are entitled to.
To tackle these interlinked issues, we will introduce a new national digital ID. #??This is not a card but a new digital identity that will be available for free to all UK citizens and legal residents aged 16 and over (although we will consider through consultation if this should be age 13 and over??#).
Over time, people will be able to use it to seamlessly access a range of public and private sector services, with the aim of making our everyday lives easier and more secure. It will not be compulsory to obtain a digital ID but it will be mandatory for some applications.????Query#
For example, the new digital ID will build on GOV.UK One Login and the GOV.UK Wallet to drive the transformation of public services. Over time, this system will allow people to access government services – such as benefits or tax records – without needing to remember multiple logins or provide physical documents. It will significantly streamline interactions with the state, saving time and reducing frustrating paperwork, while also helping to create opportunities for more joined up government services. International examples show how beneficial this can be. For instance, Estonia’s system reportedly saves each citizen hours every month by streamlining unnecessary bureaucracy, and the move to becoming a digital society has saved taxpayer money. By the end of this Parliament, employers will have to check the new digital ID when conducting a ‘right to work’ check. This will help combat criminal gangs who promise access to the UK labour market in order to profit from dangerous and illegal channel crossings. It will create a fairer system between UK citizens and legal residents, crack down on forged documents, and streamline the process for employers, driving up compliance. Further, it will create business information showing where employers are conducting checks, so driving more targeted action against non-compliant employers. For clarity, it will not be a criminal offence to not hold a digital ID, and police will not be able to demand to see a digital ID as part of a “stop and search.” Privacy and security will also be central to the digital ID programme. We will follow data protection law and best practice in creating a system which people can rightly put their trust in. People in the UK already know and trust digital credentials held in their phone wallets to use in their everyday lives, from paying for things to storing boarding passes. The new system will be built on similar technology and be your boarding pass to the government.
Digitally checkable digital credentials are more secure than physical documents, which can be lost, copied or forged. Go to #
And often means sharing more information than just what is necessary for a given transaction. The new system will be designed in accordance with the highest security standards to protect against a comprehensive range of threats, including cyber-attacks. We will launch a public consultation in the coming weeks and work closely with employers, trade unions, civil society groups and other stakeholders to co-design the scheme and ensure it is as secure and inclusive as possible. Following consultation, we will seek to bring forward legislation to underpin this system.
Department for Science, Innovation and Technology.
Many British Citizens believe that if the Government introduces the Digital ID for everyone who lives in Britain!
That it will restrict everyone's freedom to live their lives and that everyone will have no privacy, and that the Government will control every aspect of their lives in the future, from Birth To Death.
The Government says that it isn't a card but a new digital identity that will be available for free to all UK citizens and legal residents aged 16 and over (although they will consider through consultation if this should be age 13 and 16 years old should be included in the rollout of planned IDs).
But British Citizens believe that it will be open to hacking and that they will lose everything, either to hackers or the Government will take payments they say are owed to HMRC without warning and that they will not be able to question anything.
The UK's national ID card scheme was scrapped in 2010!
By the new Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition government? Because they viewed it as expensive, ineffective, and a threat to civil liberties and privacy. Both parties had opposed the scheme, and their manifesto included a commitment to dismantle it, along with the National Identity Register.
Cost:
The government stated the scheme was "enormously expensive" and a "wasteful, bureaucratic" project.
? chk The London School of Economics (LSE) estimated the total cost of the UK's ID card scheme could range from £18 billion to £300 per person. The LSE's figure of £18 billion was cited in a May 2005 Guardian article, stating it was more than triple the official estimate at the time.
The Home Office's own estimates for the cost of the scheme over 10 years grew over time, rising from an initial figure of £5.4 billion to £5.55 billion, and later £5.75 billion to include costs for foreign nationals.
Despite the government's claim that the LSE's earlier estimates were outlandish, the LSE later backtracked on a figure, they provided. (See information# below on why they backtracked).
The scrapping of the scheme was estimated to save the country up to £20 billion.
? The UK's national ID card scheme was scrapped in 2010 by the new Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition government because they viewed it as expensive, & The London School of Economics estimated the total cost, but the LSE later backtracked on a figure they provided. Why did the LSE backtrack?
#The LSE Research Online backtracked on a specific cost estimate because the government's "secrecy and inconsistency" made it impossible to produce a definitive assessment of the total cost. The LSE stated the government was not providing consistent details on the proposals, and that they had been based on guesswork and wishful thinking. Because of the inconsistent and unreliable information from the Home Office, LSE declined to publish further costings.
Inconsistent government data:
The LSE team pointed to a lack of consistent and reliable information from the Home Office, with claims being made and then abandoned or contradicted.
Difficulty in calculating total cost:
The LSE stated that the government had not been "very forthcoming" with details, and that changes to the policy made it impossible to produce a definitive assessment.
Possible underestimation:
The LSE team also noted that other government departments might opt into the scheme at a later date, making any current estimates potentially underestimate the total cost.
Contradictory costings:
This is a further example of the LSE's concerns about government costings, particularly a previous instance where the Home Office had mistakenly included consular service costs in the ID card budget, which they then tried to remove.
#The London School of Economics (LSE) did not backtrack on its fundamental criticism of the UK's national ID card scheme or its broad cost estimates. However, the LSE did release a clarifying statement in November 2005 to address confusion over its initial figures, particularly to counter a specific claim from a Home Office minister that it had admitted to being wrong
The initial report and government pushback
Initial estimates: In May 2005, In May 2005, a draft London School of Economics (LSE) report leaked to The Observer estimated the UK's identity cards scheme would cost significantly more than the government's estimate. The LSE report suggested costs could range from £12 billion to £18 billion over 10 years, potentially costing individuals around £300, compared to the government's £5.8 billion figure. The LSE researchers attributed the difference to underestimated costs for technology and administrative changes, such as people updating their personal details.
Cost estimates:
The LSE report's total cost estimates ranged from £10.6 billion to £19.2 billion, with a median of £14.5 billion, significantly higher than the government's £5.8 billion estimate.
Individual cost:
This could make the cost per individual closer to £300, instead of the government's £93 figure.
Technological costs:
The report argued that the government underestimated costs for technology, such as the biometric scanners needed for the system, suggesting they could cost £3,000 to £4,000 per unit, not the £250 to £750 the government predicted.
Administrative costs:
The LSE also highlighted administrative costs, including the financial burden on individuals for changing personal details, which the government had not adequately factored in.
Government's reaction:
The government attacked the LSE's figures as biased and unreliable. In a parliamentary debate on November 18, 2005, Home Office Minister Andy Burnham claimed that the LSE had subsequently admitted its figures were wrong.
The LSE's clarification and reaffirmation
In response to Burnham's claim, the LSE issued a statement clarifying its position:
The LSE stood by its core findings: It reaffirmed that its initial report was a robust, independent analysis that concluded the government's official costings were inadequate and that the scheme was technologically unsafe.
Context for "retraction": It explained that a single, specific figure in an updated working paper had been lowered to account for a Home Office policy change. This small adjustment did not represent a retraction of its wider costings or its overall analysis.
Overall cost remains high: The LSE's statement emphasised that while one specific calculation may have been revised, the overall conclusion remained that the scheme would be far more expensive than the government had admitted. In fact, the LSE suggested that other, newly revealed costs could push the total price even higher.
Essentially, the "backtracking" was a minor adjustment seized upon by a minister to undermine the LSE's entire, damning assessment. The LSE's clarification served to reaffirm its research and refute the minister's mischaracterisation of its position.
1: The Labour Government say that A new digital ID scheme will help combat illegal working while making it easier for the vast majority of people to use vital government services
The Labour Government say that it will discourage illegal migration: By making it harder for people without legal status to find employment, the government hopes to remove a key "pull factor" for illegal immigration, particularly for those crossing the English Channel in small boats.
But those coming across on boats have already disposed of any ID, such as Passports, etc, so they will just go work for someone on the Black Market, and live with a relative or a Friend... so that they can't be controlled and also to avoid paying Tax and as they have no I. It will be difficult to prove who they are or where they came from, and if they have any criminal convictions already. Even if they are put in a Hotel or HMO, they will disappear when they realise that they have to provide ID to work, as most of them will want to send most of the money they earn to their family in their country of origin.
Voluntary for other uses: While mandatory for employment, using the digital ID for other services, such as accessing government benefits, will remain optional.
Yes, the Labour Government has announced plans for a new digital ID scheme in September 2025. That they say will combat illegal working and make it easier for people to access vital government services
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has stated that a digital ID will be mandatory to work in the UK. The plan involves making a digital ID mandatory for right-to-work checks by 2029.
How the scheme aims to combat illegal working
The government argues that the new digital IDs will reduce one of the main "pull factors" that attract illegal migration to the UK: the prospect of finding work.
How the scheme is intended to work
Mandatory for employment: Under the new policy, all UK citizens and legal residents who wish to work will need a digital ID to prove their right-to-work status. Prime Minister Starmer stated, "You will not be able to work in the United Kingdom if you do not have a digital ID. It's as simple as that".
Digital format:
The ID will be stored on a smartphone, similar to digital bank cards or the NHS app. It will include the holder's name, date of birth, photo, nationality, and residency status.
Replacing current checks:
The new system is designed to replace the current paper-based and National Insurance number checks, which are easier to forge or abuse. The government argues the scheme will make it more difficult to use fraudulent documents or National Insurance numbers. The new system will provide a more consistent way for employers to verify a person's eligibility to work.
Preventing the shadow economy:
By making it more difficult for unauthorised workers to get jobs, the government intends to drive illegal working further into the "shadow economy," thereby deterring illegal immigrants.
Streamlining employer checks:
For employers who currently have to confirm the right-to-work status of employees, a streamlined digital checking service would increase compliance.
How the scheme aims to make services easier
The government has also outlined several ways the scheme could simplify access to public and private services for citizens and legal residents.
Convenient identity verification: The digital ID will be stored on people's phones, similar to contactless payments or the NHS app, making it quicker and easier to prove identity.
Applying for public services: It is expected to simplify and streamline applications for services such as driving licenses, childcare, welfare, and access to tax records.
Private sector use: The IDs could also be used to streamline verification processes in the private sector, such as when opening a bank account.
Privacy features: The government claims the design will be privacy-focused, only sharing the necessary information for a given transaction and relying on encrypted data.
Criticism and public reaction
The scheme has drawn criticism and scepticism from opposition parties, civil liberties groups, and some members of the public.
Privacy and data security:
Critics, including the civil liberties group Big Brother Watch, have raised concerns about data breaches, mass surveillance, and state overreach.
Effectiveness against illegal migration:
Critics, including the Liberal Democrats, question whether the mandatory work check will be effective, arguing that unscrupulous employers will simply continue to hire workers illegally.
Inclusivity and digital exclusion:
Concerns have been raised about how the system will work for those without smartphones, such as older people or the homeless. In response, the government has promised an inclusive system with physical alternatives and face-to-face support.
Public opposition:
A parliamentary petition opposing the mandatory digital IDs has gained millions of signatures.
Debate and opposition
The scheme has generated significant debate and criticism from opposition parties and civil liberties groups.
No electoral mandate:
The policy was not included in Labour's 2024 general election manifesto. In July 2024, Home Secretary Yvette Cooper explicitly ruled out digital ID cards, drawing criticism when the policy was announced a year later.
Effectiveness questioned:
Some critics, including the Liberal Democrats, question whether the scheme will have a meaningful impact on illegal migration. Immigration experts have suggested that unscrupulous employers who already ignore right-to-work checks are unlikely to change their practices.
Civil liberties and surveillance:
Civil liberties groups, such as Big Brother Watch and Liberty, have raised concerns about privacy, mass surveillance, and potential government overreach. Critics also question the security of a large government-held database of personal information.
Digital exclusion:
Concerns have been raised about how the scheme will accommodate people without smartphones or reliable internet access, such as older people or the homeless. The government has stated it will hold a consultation on how to ensure the service is inclusive.
Party comparison:
A similar, though non-digital, mandatory ID card scheme was introduced by former Labour Prime Minister Tony Blair in the 2000s but was later scrapped by the Conservative-led coalition government in 2011. The current Conservative opposition has criticised the new digital ID plan as a "desperate gimmick".
2: The Government says that People in the UK already know and trust digital credentials held in their phone wallets to use in their everyday lives, from paying for things to storing boarding passes.
But that is a choice by the British Citizen, of their own making. They chose to use and could delete at a later date, and Not Mandatory and run by the Government.
3: They say they are committed to making people’s everyday lives easier and more secure by putting more control in their hands (including over their own data.
But many people say they already have many forms of ID and physical photo ID to prove who they are, or personal information about themselves.
4: The Government says that physical documents can be lost, copied or forged, but...
The new system will be designed in accordance with the highest security standards to protect against a comprehensive range of threats, including cyber-attacks?? #
How come there have been leaks and cyber attacks, as in a significant data breach resulting from a cyber-attack on the UK's Legal Aid Agency (LAA)? see below for details at **
5: *Proof of Age to work Part Time for Children aged13 to 16 years of age.
Note: The proposed digital ID scheme for 13-year-olds in the UK is a developing story, and the final policy could be different after consultation.
#But, most people say not before 18 years of age, as they are still just Children aged 13 to 16 years of age, and they shouldn't be added to the Digital ID Database. When they become adults and are working, they say it will be soon enough.
Part Time Work For 13 to 16 year old Children.
While a 13-year-old in the UK can use a digital ID to prove their age for certain purposes, it is not a requirement for part-time work. The UK government is currently consulting on proposals to mandate digital IDs for individuals aged 13 and over by 2029 for right-to-work checks, but this is still under consideration.
The types of digital IDs 13-year-olds can have include:
Yoti CitizenCard: A physical CitizenCard with a PASS (Proof of Age Standards Scheme) hologram can be linked to the free Yoti mobile app to create a digital ID.
This digital ID is accepted at over 12,000 locations in England and Wales to prove age for things like cinema tickets or buying lottery items, though it cannot be used for purchasing alcohol.
EasyID: An app from the Post Office that allows you to store your verified personal details securely.
You verify your identity once by scanning a photo ID document, and then you can use the app to prove your age without sharing your exact date of birth.
Luciditi Age Proof: A digital card accessed through the Luciditi app that also bears a PASS logo and digital hologram.
It can be used to prove age online or by having a QR code scanned, and the company has been certified as a UK Digital Identity Service Provider.
For employment purposes, employers must verify a person's "Right to Work" in the UK. A digital ID is not currently required for this, and 13-year-olds are only permitted to do specific "light work" jobs with local council approval.
# Safety Of Digital ID Systems and Security
Of Personal Details:
The safety of digital ID systems is a complex issue, with both potential benefits and significant risks.
Proponents argue they can be more secure than physical documents, while opponents raise alarms about privacy, centralisation, and the potential for a surveillance state.
No, the GOV.UK Wallet has not been hacked, but there have been security concerns and past incidents with other government digital services that could be relevant.
Because the Wallet's documents are stored locally on a user's device, the main risk comes from the security of the individual government departments that issue the documents, or vulnerabilities in the user's device or internet connection, rather than a centralised database being breached.
Data storage:
Documents in the GOV.UK Wallets are stored locally on the user's device, not in a central government database, making a "honeypot" style hack less likely.
Device and issuer security:
The user's security is dependent on the security of their personal device and the individual government departments that issue the digital documents.
Past incidents:
Other government digital services have experienced security incidents, such as the 2025 cyber-attack on the Legal Aid Agency and unauthorised access to some HMRC accounts, highlighting the ongoing risk of cyber threats.
Vulnerabilities in linked systems:
Recent reports have noted that security vulnerabilities were found in the underlying One Login system, which could be a risk factor for services that rely on it, like the Wallet.
Unauthorised access to HMRC online accounts
HMRC’s security systems have detected unauthorised access to some customers’ online accounts.
This was an attempt to claim money from HMRC, not an attempt to take any money from you.
We have written to affected customers and taken action to protect these accounts.
Has the GOV.UK Wallet ever been hacked?
** Legal Aid Agency data breach - GOV.UK
An update following a cyber-attack on the Legal Aid Agency's online digital services. From: Legal Aid Agency and Ministry of Justice.
Yes, the UK's Legal Aid Agency (LAA) has experienced a significant data breach resulting from a cyber-attack that compromised the personal data of legal aid applicants dating back to 2007. The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) confirmed the breach on May 19, 2025, after discovering the attack was more extensive than initially thought.
Details of the breach
What was compromised: Personal data of individuals who have applied for legal aid since 2007 or 2010, including names, addresses, dates of birth, national insurance numbers, criminal records, and financial details.
Initial discovery: The MoJ first became aware of the attack on April 23rd, 2025.
Extent of the breach: The MoJ discovered on May 16, 2025, that the breach was much more extensive, with access to data from as far back as 2010.
Action taken: The LAA's online digital services were shut down.
What this means
This incident is a serious data breach involving sensitive personal information.
The government is working with the National Crime Agency and the National Cyber Security Centre to improve security.
The public should remain vigilant for any suspicious activity, such as unknown messages or phone calls, and take steps to protect their personal information.
#And the Government expects the British Public
to trust them with their Digital Data, & That they will keep
Their data safe from Cyber attacks, etc..
There have already been cyber attacks as listed above, so that means that if they introduce the Brit Card, then there will probably be more, especially as there have been issues with China, and there are those who have come across by boat who may have been sent by the Chinese Government to find information to search for sensitive information..
If the Personal information of British Citizens is leaked, as in those listed above. Those who have come across illegally on Boats may try to use the leaked information for illegal purposes, such as activity on the black market or to get a job, thus causing the owner of the leaked personal information great stress and problems in their daily lives.
Digitally checkable digital credentials are more secure than physical documents is debatable??? Considering there have already been leaks.
The Pros of Digital Documents
Versus Printed Documents!
Ease and Speed of access: To compare accessing a digital file to looking for a paper document in a filing cabinet. The former is simply so much easier. The time it takes to find a digital document versus a paper one. This depends on whether you can access the digital documents, which may not always be possible due to a Server or a Website being down or not being able to access the Internet if there is an electricity outage.
There are Pros And Cons to Storing Documents
Paper Documents can sometimes get lost amongst other documents in a filing system, but you can usually find them and make extra copies of them using a printer/copier if needed.
Digital documents can be copied if there is a security breach, which means that they can be seen by those who should not have access to the stored Private Information on the Documents, such as account numbers, names and addresses and more. This can cause major long-term problems and losses for the person that the document relates to.
Space usage: There was a time (still not that long ago for many companies) in which entire storerooms or off-site document storage were essential for the safekeeping of paper documents. Electronic document management solutions, whether in the cloud or on an institutional server, take up far less physical space. But it can have its problems too, such as the following...
Security breaches: Any digital data, however secure and encrypted it may be, is at risk of being hacked. Corporate cybercrime, for example, in the form of ransomware, is a huge, growing issue worldwide, according to Forbes, and it’s not only large multinationals or government entities that are at risk of being hacked. Furthermore, that risk is 24/7.
Customer resistance: Many people continue to be sceptical about the authenticity and validity of digital documents.
Many customers still prefer a physical receipt or invoice to a digital one, for example. This may have to do with the fact that paper is something tangible, i.e. that you can feel and hold, whereas anything digital feels ephemeral and ‘easily lost’.
Also, the ‘Bitcoin Energy Dilemma’: Although usually perceived as being more ‘environmentally friendly’ than paper-based systems, certain computer systems can be savagely energy-hungry. An excellent example of this is the world’s leading cryptocurrency, Bitcoin. The larger Bitcoin grows, the more people it needs to be ‘miners’ plugged into the system, resulting in a collective energy consumption exceeding that of many countries.
But there is are Pros And Cons Of Paper Documents
Pros of Paper Documents:
There remain compelling reasons why paper documentation may be preferable in certain instances, and they can include:
Legal documentation:
There are many forms of legal or financial documents that are still best-suited to physical copies. Many of them may have the need for physical signatures or a notary public’s seal mandated by law. Any real estate agent or mortgage lender will insist that you get a physical copy of a deed of sale or lease. Even today, not to do so seems crazy! Law documents and financial statements in paper format continue to proliferate, and their use seems secure into the medium-term future, at least.
Trustworthiness:
As noted above regarding paper invoices or receipts, there continues to be trust by many in society in certain types of physical documents. Not to be overlooked is the fact that digital data, especially private data, continues to have an existential, even Orwellian ‘Big Brother’ connotation to it. Some people simply don’t fully trust electronic documents.
Readability:
It may seem a minor quibble, but certain digital documents can be very difficult to read compared to paper ones. The physical act of having to scroll or flick through a digital document can also be more distracting or difficult compared to holding a paper document in the hand. This is especially true of dense, technical content.
Life’s Reality:
Sometimes having a hard copy of a document just makes sense, for example, when wanting to take quick notes or if only as a secondary backup to an electronic copy. It can also be a smart backup, such as when visiting a remote location that may not have a viable internet connection.
Cons of Paper Documents
As with digital documents, there are serious (and mostly obvious) drawbacks to using paper documents. These may include:
Storage space:
More often than not, paper files can occupy a lot of Space For physical documents, filing cabinets and even filing rooms or document storage rooms. Many smaller businesses can struggle to find the space for this type of document storage.
Physical damage:
Paper documents can easily wear or fade with time, they can also suffer from physical damage, such as that caused by humidity, paper-ingesting microbes and insects, accidental spillages and flooding...
Loss:
Fire has destroyed countless paper document archives throughout human history. Paper documents are also easily misplaced or somehow ‘lost in transit’ between two points or between people.
Why did parts of the internet fall apart
on the 20th October 2025?
At 08:00 BST on the 20th October 2025, reports started flooding in of problems accessing a few apps. By 09:00, it was apparent this had turned into quite a big deal.
We now know that the culprit was something called “DNS resolution” not working properly at Amazon Web Services.
But many users couldn’t get on to the Companies supported by this company, Amazon Web Services, which should have had a backup system in place, and they have the funds to cover this.
In simple terms, it all comes down to the bit of tech which lets a computer understand what we mean when we see a URL like bbc.co.uk.
But the reason it had such a big impact is simply that a massive number of companies rely on Amazon working properly.
Downdetector told the BBC it had received reports stating more than 1,000 companies were facing problems.
The question now is - will some of these companies look to alternatives?
Considering that it affected many Companies and their users.
Consumer champion Matt Allwright warns that scammers could take advantage of people during an internet outage.
"People will be struggling to access things they enjoy using, or really need to use, when it comes to things like banking," he told Morning Live.
He urges users not to panic if they see an error message when they're trying to use their banking services.
"Just ask yourself how important it is to make that transaction right now," he says. "If the answer is that it's very important, then get in touch with your bank directly using a number that you trust."
"The last thing you want to do is entertain a phone call out of the blue right now, saying I can offer you a solution," he says.
Allwright adds that it's best to stay calm and wait until the issue resolves.
20th October 2025
Pixels versus paper, that is the question.
Both hard and electronic copies have their place. Although most business processes today are best-suited to digital solutions, there is a place too for the continued use of paper-based documents.
The statement is correct: both digital and paper documents have advantages and disadvantages, and the best choice depends on the specific business needs. Digital solutions are often more efficient for most business processes, but paper has benefits in certain areas, like security (it can't be hacked or corrupted), ease of use for tasks like meeting discussions, and lower initial costs.
Advantages of paper documents
Tangible and accessible:
Paper can be easier for some people to read and use for tasks like physical meetings, as it doesn't require technology to access.
Security:
Physical documents are not susceptible to cyberattacks, ransomware, or data corruption in the same way digital files are.
Familiarity and low initial cost:
Many businesses are familiar with paper systems, and the initial setup cost is low, requiring only basic supplies.
Legal requirements:
Some documents may still legally require a physical, paper-based form.
Advantages of digital documents
Efficiency: Digital solutions can streamline workflows, automate tasks, and save time.
Space and storage: Digital files are not bulky and can be easily searched and stored.
Flexibility: They can be accessed from different locations, but this requires secure storage.
Security features: Digital documents can have features like time-stamping and authentication marks that are not available with traditional paper.
Conclusion
The most effective approach is often a hybrid one that uses digital for everyday processes while maintaining paper copies for specific purposes where a digital solution is not as suitable or where legal requirements mandate it.
The best solution depends on your specific data needs and the context in which the documents are being used.
Note: I will continue to update this Blog as more Information becomes available.
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Petition: Do not introduce Digital ID cards
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