We came across several posts on X recently claiming that the United Kingdom (UK) government has covertly introduced a new department, the Office for Digital Identities and Attributes (OfDIA), that will be in charge of creating digital identities. According to these posts, the department was introduced quietly, supposedly while public attention was focused on the 2024 Budget. One of the earliest posts on this topic gained substantial traction, amassing 470,000 views within the first 24 hours it was posted.

For many of us in Singapore, the idea of a digital identity has become relatively commonplace, as Singpasshas become a go-to app on our mobile phones, enabling us to access government services such as public housing, healthcare and tax portals.

However, in many parts of the world, including technologically advanced societies like China and Western liberal states like the United States, the prospect of digital identification stokes fears of government overreach.

To better understand the controversy, we examined these posts and found an intriguing pattern in the recent surge of claims on X.

 

When every post starts looking a little too similar

Across several posts on X, there was a definitive sense that the digital identities department was introduced covertly, with little fanfare or media attention. Many of these posts used phrases such as introduced “quietly” or “when you were distracted” or “whilst most people were sleeping”, reflecting a broader suspicion that the rollout was intentionally low-profile, raising questions about the government’s motives.

Additionally, we identified several other posts which were identical to the first post that we found. Posted several hours later, these duplicate posts originated from accounts that have relatively few followers, suggesting that these accounts might have been created to help flood timelines with a specific narrative. This coordinated repetition may be intended to cultivate echo chambers of scepticism or discontent surrounding the digital identities initiative.

These claims come off the back of a landmark week for the UK’s new-elected Labour government, who have announced their first Budget under Sir Keir Starmer’s Cabinet. The Budget debate has dominated both media headlines and everyday conversations across the British Isles. Against this backdrop, the apparent “discovery” of the new digital identities department may have seemed to go unnoticed, adding to the perception that it was introduced under the radar.

 

Spiralling into conspiracies

As discourse around the original post develops, a blend of various viewpoints shapes a distinctive narrative that taps into public fears and anxieties about digital identities.

Early comments use Michel Foucault’s “Panopticon effect” and George Orwell’s “Big Brother” to suggest a level of government surveillance that could feel invasive and overreaching. The Panopticon, an 18th-century circular prison design with cells arranged around a central guard tower, leads prisoners to monitor themselves since they never know when they’re being watched. This represents how society might feel under constant observation. “Big Brother” from Orwell’s 1984 symbolises a government that watches and controls nearly every aspect of life. These sentiments reflect fears that digital identities could enable modern governments to constantly surveil people and exert similarly intrusive control.

Some responses to the posts frame the digital identities initiative as part of a global conspiracy, allegedly orchestrated by organisations like the World Economic Forum to grant global elites greater control over personal data and, ultimately, individual freedoms.

As these responses accumulate, we see a modular narrative emerge, resonating with like-minded individuals who feel disenfranchised by the Labour government’s recent actions and anxious about the Budget’s implications. This narrative, blending existing fears and political discontent, appears to capture the imagination of those increasingly wary of government intentions.

 

Did the UK government secretly introduce a new digital identities department?

We conducted a reverse image search of the main visual shared across the posts, which brought us to an official webpage on the UK government’s site. The webpage on enabling the use of digital identities was first published on 13 February 2023, and last updated on 1 November 2024.

We did further digging on the department which has been the subject of the discussion, the OfDIA. Across traditional, mainstream news outlets in the UK such as The Guardian, BBC, and The Daily Telegraph, there was no apparent coverage of OfDIA, including its recent launch.

However, we found some references to OfDIA’s formation and policies in independent and reputable government and public policy publications. For instance, we found that OfDIA was formally launched on 31 October 2024, according to an article published by Civil Service World, a reputable public policy online publication based in the UK. One of the goals of OfDIA is to standardise and regulate digital identity services, allowing citizens to verify their identity in a way that is streamlined and secure for both the public and private sectors. Moreover, the publication also reported that OfDIA was first announced by the previous administration in March 2022, outlining plans for a digital identity governance body.

Smart technologies and digital identification initiatives were also highlighted during the transition of power following the recent UK elections. The plans to roll out a proposed digital information and smart data bill were announced in The King’s Speech 2024, delivered on 14 July 2024. Traditionally, the King’s Speech outlines the government’s priorities for a parliamentary year or, in the case of 2024, marks the focus of a newly elected administration.

Hence, while there was limited coverage of OfDIA’s launch, the claim that the UK government covertly introduced a new department is misleading and false. OfDIA’s establishment was part of a publicly outlined plan, with discussions on digital identity regulation stretching back to early 2022 under the previous administration.