ER Editor: Is the Swiss vote really *this* close? We doubt it. The Swiss value their privacy and voted against such a proposal once before, amidst the tyranny of ‘Covid’ in 2021. A reminder about the UK from last week —
Every Adult in Britain to Be Forced to Have a Digital ID Card Under New Keir Starmer Plan
The Guardian also has this —
Swiss voters back electronic identity cards in close vote
********
Swiss voters narrowly approve plan for electronic ID cards
IMOGEN FOULKES for BBC
Swiss voters have narrowly approved a plan to introduce voluntary electronic identity cards.
With all votes counted, 50.4% of those who voted said yes to the proposal, while 49.6% rejected it.
AFP via Getty ImagesThe closeness of the ballot is a surprise. Opinion polls had suggested up to 60% (ER: We truly find that hard to believe) backed digital IDs, which also had the approval of the Swiss government, and both houses of parliament.
It was Switzerland’s second vote on digital IDs. An earlier proposal was rejected in 2021, amid concerns the data would be held centrally, and controlled largely by private providers.
Sunday’s revised proposal keeps the system in government hands. Data will be stored only on the smartphones of individual users, and digital IDs will be optional.
Citizens can continue to use national identity card if they choose, which has been standard for decades in Switzerland.
To further ease privacy concerns, a particular authority seeking information on a person – such as proof of age or nationality, for example – will only be able to check for those specific details.
…
Supporters of the Swiss system say it will make life much easier for everyone, allowing a range of bureaucratic procedures – from getting a telephone contract to proving you are old enough to buy a bottle of wine – to happen quickly online.
Opponents of digital ID cards, who gathered enough signatures to force another referendum on the issue, argue that the measure could still undermine individual privacy.
They also fear that, despite the new restrictions on how data is collected and stored, it could still be used to track people and for marketing purposes.
Switzerland has a long tradition of protecting its citizens’ privacy. The banking secrecy laws, now much diluted, were designed to shield an individual’s personal finances from the prying eyes of the state.
For years, Google Street View was controversial in Switzerland – and even today, following a ruling by the Swiss Federal Court, images taken close to schools, women’s refuges, hospitals or prisons must be automatically blurred before going online.
CONTINUE READING HERE
Featured image source: https://www.biometricupdate.com/202506/swiss-digital-id-backed-by-major-political-parties-ahead-of-autumn-referendum
************
Published to The Liberty Beacon from EuropeReloaded.com
••••
The Liberty Beacon Project is now expanding at a near exponential rate, and for this we are grateful and excited! But we must also be practical. For 7 years we have not asked for any donations, and have built this project with our own funds as we grew. We are now experiencing ever increasing growing pains due to the large number of websites and projects we represent. So we have just installed donation buttons on our websites and ask that you consider this when you visit them. Nothing is too small. We thank you for all your support and your considerations … (TLB)
••••
Comment Policy: As a privately owned web site, we reserve the right to remove comments that contain spam, advertising, vulgarity, threats of violence, racism, or personal/abusive attacks on other users. This also applies to trolling, the use of more than one alias, or just intentional mischief. Enforcement of this policy is at the discretion of this websites administrators. Repeat offenders may be blocked or permanently banned without prior warning.
••••
Disclaimer: TLB websites contain copyrighted material the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. We are making such material available to our readers under the provisions of “fair use” in an effort to advance a better understanding of political, health, economic and social issues. The material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving it for research and educational purposes. If you wish to use copyrighted material for purposes other than “fair use” you must request permission from the copyright owner.
••••
Disclaimer: The information and opinions shared are for informational purposes only including, but not limited to, text, graphics, images and other material are not intended as medical advice or instruction. Nothing mentioned is intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.
Leave a Reply