Under the pretense of fortifying digital security in the United States, newly proposed legislation seeks to transform the United States Postal Service (USPS) into a hub for digital IDs. Senators Ron Wyden, a Democrat, and Bill Cassidy, Republican, have put forth the bill known as the Post Office Services for Trustworthy Identity Act. The proposed legislation opens new discourse on digital privacy and the potential for abnormal surveillance measures, sparking debate over the delicate balance between biosecurity and preserving citizens’ fundamental rights.
We obtained a copy of the bill for you here [PDF].
The proposed legislation comes in response to the piecemeal approach taken towards biometric identification in America. Historically, disjointed programs have been created by different states and separate agency undertakings, giving rise to the necessity for a more coherent national strategy. The Post Office Services for Trustworthy Identity Act could mark a landmark shift, focusing on service provision rather than overarching digital ID strategy.
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This article is a mess. I did find another one that explains a little more here.
Ron Wyden has a really good record on privacy, free speech and digital rights, here’s an unrelated post where the Electronic Frontier Foundation is interviewing him.
I do think with advancement in deep fake video and audio, verifying that you’re talking to who you think you’re talking to is going to become a big challenge. This bill seems to be addressing that - physically going somewhere to verify your Identity. And better for that to be an official government agency than a corporation who will charge who knows what and do who knows what with the data.
Another concept of verifying identity that I haven’t heard much about lately is the web of trust. People can verify other people they know and trust, and then they can vouch for second or third connections who you have not verified yet. Trouble is it can seem convoluted to people who aren’t familiar, and requires adoption from many people before it becomes useful. If the government just says “this is a thing we’re doing” then much more likely to be adopted.