What's Happening?
The UK government has announced that all data associated with its planned digital identity regime will be hosted in IT storage facilities within the country. This decision comes as government agencies increasingly rely on public cloud services provided
by US-based vendors like Amazon Web Services. The digital ID system will be a mandatory part of pre-employment checks, with data stored in secure cloud environments hosted in the UK. The government aims to work closely with expert stakeholders to ensure the program is effective, secure, and inclusive, drawing insights from previous IT projects.
Why It's Important?
Hosting digital ID data locally is a significant move towards enhancing data security and privacy for UK citizens. By keeping data within national borders, the government can better control and protect sensitive information, reducing reliance on foreign cloud providers. This decision aligns with broader efforts to strengthen national cybersecurity and data sovereignty. It also reflects growing concerns about the dominance of major tech companies in the cloud services market, as highlighted by the Competition and Markets Authority. The move could encourage other countries to consider similar measures, potentially reshaping the global cloud services landscape.
