Today England and Wales put digital ID on the bar.
Licensed premises can now accept certified digital proof of age for alcohol, allowing someone to confirm they are over 18 through an app rather than handing over a passport or driving licence.
The government says the venue does not need to see details such as your name or address, with services including Yoti and Post Office EasyID operating under the UK digital verification trust framework.
This is separate from the digital driving licence and GOV.UK Wallet.
That sounds privacy friendly at the point of sale because the pub only sees the proof. The identity provider behind the app is still responsible for verifying and handling the underlying data, which is where the privacy and security questions sit.
Digital identity becomes normal when it gets built into everyday life, one convenience at a time.
The more we rely on that infrastructure, the harder it becomes to question how far it should go.
That debate needs to happen before convenience becomes dependency.
Press release:
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-rules-pave-the-way-for-businesses-to-adopt-digital-proof-of-age-for-alcohol-sales
BBC article:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cm4gl6j53w19o
Susie / Susie Violet Ward
npub1hw…503sg
2026-09-15 12:16:11 UTC
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wss://nos.lolPublished at
2026-09-15 12:16:11 UTCEvent JSON
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"content": "Today England and Wales put digital ID on the bar.\n\nLicensed premises can now accept certified digital proof of age for alcohol, allowing someone to confirm they are over 18 through an app rather than handing over a passport or driving licence.\n\nThe government says the venue does not need to see details such as your name or address, with services including Yoti and Post Office EasyID operating under the UK digital verification trust framework.\n\nThis is separate from the digital driving licence and GOV.UK Wallet.\n\nThat sounds privacy friendly at the point of sale because the pub only sees the proof. The identity provider behind the app is still responsible for verifying and handling the underlying data, which is where the privacy and security questions sit.\n\nDigital identity becomes normal when it gets built into everyday life, one convenience at a time.\n\nThe more we rely on that infrastructure, the harder it becomes to question how far it should go.\n\nThat debate needs to happen before convenience becomes dependency.\n\nPress release:\n\nhttps://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-rules-pave-the-way-for-businesses-to-adopt-digital-proof-of-age-for-alcohol-sales\n\nBBC article:\n\nhttps://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cm4gl6j53w19o\n\n",
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