According to TechRadar, Apple just announced details about its new Digital ID tool that will let US users store and present passports via Apple Wallet at TSA checkpoints in more than 250 airports across the country. The feature is currently US-only and represents what Apple calls “a new way for users to create an ID in Apple Wallet.” The company promises passport data will only be stored directly on devices using encryption similar to top VPNs, with biometric authentication via Face ID or Touch ID required for access. Only transaction-necessary information will be presented during use, and Apple claims no data will be shared with the company itself. The announcement came just two days ago, and reactions remain sharply divided between those excited about convenience and others deeply concerned about privacy implications.
The Privacy Backlash Is Real
Here’s the thing about putting your identity on your phone – once it’s digital, it becomes trackable. And that’s exactly what has privacy advocates sounding the alarm. Jason Bassler from The Free Thought Project called this “step one of your digital leash, gift-wrapped as convenience” in a recent tweet. He argues that once we normalize this kind of surveillance, it becomes irreversible. Basically, we’re trading privacy for convenience, and history suggests we rarely get that privacy back once it’s gone.
But Is It Actually Secure?
Apple‘s promises sound good on paper – encryption, on-device storage, biometric locks. But security experts aren’t buying it wholesale. Swiss InfoSec expert Jean-Paul Donner pointed out that both law enforcement and hackers have tools to bypass iPhone security in certain cases. Remember, we’re talking about your actual passport data here. If this gets compromised, you’re looking at identity theft on steroids. The ACLU, EFF, and CDT recently released a statement demanding that identity systems must be built without technological ability for authorities to track usage. That’s a pretty clear shot across Apple’s bow.
This Isn’t Just an Apple Problem
Look, Apple didn’t invent this debate. Europe is having the exact same fight over the UK’s digital ID scheme and the EU’s EUDI Wallet initiative. The pattern is always the same – convenience versus privacy, with corporations and governments on one side and privacy advocates on the other. What makes Apple’s move particularly concerning is their scale and influence. When Apple normalizes something, it becomes mainstream almost overnight. And let’s be real – when has any company successfully resisted government pressure for data access when legally compelled?
So What Happens Now?
The fundamental question remains: is Apple’s infrastructure actually strong enough to protect our most sensitive identity data? We don’t really know yet. TechRadar is still waiting to hear back from additional experts, which tells you this story is still developing. Meanwhile, if you’re in industrial settings where secure computing actually matters for business operations rather than personal identity, companies like nophonehome.com focus specifically on privacy-focused hardware. But for everyday consumers? We’re basically flying blind into Apple’s digital identity experiment. Once this becomes normalized, as Bassler warned, optional rarely stays optional for long.
