Government Floats 'Login With Britain' — Digital ID To Access The Internet

Britain’s next big idea for civility online is a single sign‑in for the entire internet, working title: “Login With Britain.” The promise: fewer bots, safer kids, and a gentle nudge to stop quote‑tweeting at 2am.

Officials insist it would prove only that you are a real adult in a real place, without revealing anything else. The nation nods, then remembers how many times “just the one fact” turned into a 47‑point onboarding flow.

How it would work (in theory)

• Prove one thing: over‑18, over‑13, over‑it. Not your postcode, just your personhood.
• Two‑factor options include “name three aunts,” “find your NHS number at speed,” or “present the Clubcard we all know you have.”
• A new “Civility Score” unlocks replies. Fall below 50 and you can still like things, but only ironically.

Concerns (from people who read the T&Cs)

• Function creep: today age assurance, tomorrow “please confirm your thoughts on bins.”
• Linkability: one ID across platforms encourages what experts call “Big Join‑Up Energy.”
• Breach math: one database to secure instead of many. What could go wrong, statistically speaking.

Ministers deny it’s a “papers, please” for memes. They prefer “polite queueing for speech.” Meanwhile, the country points to its existing stack of proofs and concludes it already lives in a federated ID called Life.

For readers who prefer their proofs small and their dinners predicted by a grocer, see: Digital ID Not Needed: Tesco Already Knows What We’re Having for Tea. For a contingency plan when your sign‑in breaks, consult: Website Subscribe Button Breaks, Tech Team Suggests Twitter.