Privacy Concerns Shadow The Launch Of EU Digital Identity Wallet In Italy

Despite significant opposition from privacy advocates who have been raising alarms about the potential surveillance and security risks, the European Initiative to launch the EU Digital Identity Wallet was approved last year in Italy. 

Residents of Italy now have the option to make their identity documents digitized with the use of an application. Italy’s implementation of the EU Digital Identity Wallet Initiative is based on the IT Wallet. According to the European Commission, this initiative aims to offer a dependable, safe and private method for digital identification in the entire Europe. 

The IT Wallet has been available for the people of Italy since the 4th of December 2024 allowing them to scan their different documents digitally. The documents citizens are allowed to scan include health cards, driving licenses and others. 

The scan can be done using the IO app which is the public services platform of Italy. More documents like passports and ID cards can be added to the project in its expansion. Along with the incorporation of new documents, some additional functionalities will also be introduced such as transportation services, media appointment scheduling and payment options. 

The rollout follows a pilot program that was initiated at the end of October and included 50,000 participants. France, Luxembourg, Germany and other European countries are still testing their own versions of the EU digital wallet. 

Although, the European Union states that the ID wallets will boost the simplicity and security of identity verification for citizens, commentators have suspected the ongoing implementation. 

Although having all documents in one single place in an application is convenient and easy, security, undoubtedly is a major concern amidst the launch of the ID Wallet in Italy. Security issues become more crucial with the cases of frequent data breaches where attackers mainly target the medical records of individuals.

Staff Writer