Jun 11, 2025
Apple’s unveiling of iOS 26 at WWDC 2025 signals a major step toward mainstream adoption of digital identity, as the update introduces passport-based digital IDs within the Apple Wallet. This new feature will allow users to present a digital form of identification at select TSA checkpoints and within certain apps that require age or identity verification. Although Apple emphasized that the digital ID is not a substitute for a physical passport, the Transportation Security Administration has confirmed its acceptance for domestic travel, marking a significant shift in how personal identification is handled in everyday life. As biometric and device-linked IDs become more accepted, digital identity is steadily moving from novelty to necessity.
This move is part of a broader global trend toward centralized digital identity systems. As tech companies embed government-approved credentials into widely adopted platforms, the use of digital ID is likely to expand beyond travel—into banking, social media, healthcare, and more. While Apple also introduced convenient features like terminal maps and AirTag luggage tracking, these benefits risk obscuring the larger concern: a growing dependence on digital credentials that could erode personal autonomy and privacy. With regulatory and technological momentum driving adoption, digital ID is no longer an option—it’s becoming an expectation. The question now is not whether it will be used, but how far-reaching and mandatory it will become.
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SOURCE: Reclaim the Net