Millions face ID checks under UK social media ban as Ofcom warns of loopholes Tech Millions of British social media users could be forced to verify their age using passports or facial scans under new proposals from Ofcom, as the regulator prepares to enforce the government’s ban on under-16s. The watchdog on Thursday identified four methods it considers sufficiently reliable to determine whether users are aged 16 or over, ahead [...]
Unfunded Digital ID will not free up new cash for Burnham’s cost of living plans Politics Andy Burnham is facing criticism from his own backbenches after claiming he would fund his cost of living plans by scrapping Labour’s digital ID scheme – despite the policy being unfunded at the last budget. In his first major policy announcement as prime minister, Burnham revealed today he would remove VAT from domestic electricity bills [...]
Burnham scraps digital ID scheme Politics Andy Burnham will scrap Labour’s digital ID scheme when he becomes Prime Minister, as part of a “reset of priorities” over the cost of living crisis. The incoming Prime Minister said on Saturday that he would ditch the programme, set out only months ago by Sir Keir Starmer, and spend the money saved on “improving [...]
UK banks’ digital ID bid is a game of optics – and the odds are not in their favour July 1, 2026 A digital ID row has dominated headlines in the last year, and banks are set to join the row. In this week’s column, Samuel Norman takes a look at what they might be in for. Britain’s banks have voluntarily thrown themselves into one of the most toxic culture wars of the decade. Few subjects evoke [...]
City launches new Digital ID framework against AI fraud June 30, 2026 The City of London Corporation has unveiled plans for a new digital identity framework it claims could unlock more than £5bn for the UK economy, as policymakers and the financial sector race to tackle increasingly sophisticated AI-enabled fraud. A blueprint published on Tuesday proposes a “Digital Verification Orchestrator”, or DVO – a system set to [...]
Yoti boss warns social media ban needs tougher age-check standards June 29, 2026 The chief executive of digital identity giant Yoti has urged ministers to introduce minimum standards for age verification, warning the government’s proposed social media ban for under-16s risks falling short without clearer rules on how platforms check users’ ages. The intervention comes after Keir Starmer announced plans to block children under 16 from accessing major [...]
Barclays and Lloyds join banking sector plan for digital ID June 25, 2026 Barclays and Lloyds are among a group of top UK lenders working on a plan that would see customers able to use digital identification tools in their banking app. The collective of banks – which also includes HSBC, Nationwide, Natwest and Santander – are working with industry body UK Finance on a process where users’ [...]
Uber wants your journey on tape as safety concerns mount May 29, 2026 Uber is turning passengers’ phones into in-car recording devices as the ride-hailing giant introduces a new feature allowing users to capture audio during journeys amid growing concerns around safety and identity verification. From Thursday, riders across the UK were able to press record before or during trips directly through the Uber app, with encrypted audio [...]
Visa data leak piles pressure on Britain’s digital ID push May 28, 2026 The leak of more than 100,000 passport scans and biometric selfies linked to a third-party visa website has renewed concerns over the security risks surrounding Britain’s growing shift towards digital ID systems. A site operating under the name UK Visa Portal – which is not affiliated with the UK government – was found on Wednesday [...]
City calls on tech firms to tackle Britain’s fraud epidemic May 8, 2026 The City of London Corporation is calling on tech firms to help build a new digital identity verification network, designed to crack down on fraud and reduce the growing costs of financial scams. Under the plans, shared with City AM, consumers would verify their identity once with a trusted provider before reusing those credentials across [...]