Florida Digital Driver’s Licenses – Could this be a good thing for us?
Yesterday, Governor DeSantis signed HB 1313 into law. This bill brings Florida up to date with modern technology by establishing a “Digital proof of driver license“. The Digital proof of driver license is an electronic credential viewable on an electronic credentialing system. In other words, instead of having to show a plastic card, you will likely be able to show an image or display a barcode or QR code from a smartphone.
It makes sense… we have e-ticketing at airlines and concerts, we have mobile payment options at many retailers. Both make processing more efficient and mitigate fraud.
The first thing that comes to mind though, is how this will impact the branding on our driver’s license? Currently, those required to register have a prominent statute or the words “sexual predator” right there on the face of the ID. They claim that the brand is to help law enforcement quickly identify that the person is on the registry. The reality is, how often are we stopped by police, as opposed to having to show our license to buy a drink at a bar or cash a paycheck? Besides, law enforcement has access to the FCIC/NCIC system that would flag us anyhow, and generally people don’t stop to show their ID before sexually assaulting someone, so what’s the point?
If the digital license/ID shows only relevant information, this could be a good thing. Why does the bartender need to know if you’re an organ donor? Why does the bank teller need to know if you’re a safe driver? And why does the cashier at Walmart need to know you are a sex offender?
The bill (https://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2021/1313/BillText/er/PDF) doesn’t get into what does and what does not get displayed on the digital drivers licenses, so we’ll have to wait and see. This can either be a good thing in the sense that we can now show ID to store clerks and bank tellers without having to shame ourselves, or we’ll just keep displaying our scarlet letters. We’ll wait and see.
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A printed DL has a finite amount of space which limits how much data the State can place on it. A digital version, depending on the type used, may also be limited but I would expect that limit to be much higher and if it is done with a smart phone app, virtually limitless. Hopefully Florida residents will have the option for many years to come to carry the carded license.
Even without a smart phone app, big government could tie an infinite amount of information to a regular, printed DL. That is assuming that Floriduh assigns unique number/letter IDs to each DL (state where I live does (each driver has a unique #) and I think it’s a good assumption that Floriduh does but I’m too lazy to check it out). All big government would have to do is to allow anyone to look up your information from that ID. Then they could easily get your entire Hit List dossier and more.
It would be trivial to do that. Some (maybe all) systems that they use to check IDs at schools already do it to some degree. They scan your DL and it checks the Hit Lists. It may or may not use your number/letter ID (versus your name, address, etc.). But an infinite amount of information could be made available exactly like that. To any business or person. No digital license required. I expect that is coming soon enough.
Related, where I live I am seeing more and more neighborhoods that have Automatic License Plate Scanners. They scan every vehicle in their neighborhood. I fully expect that people are going to whine and cry until big government allows them electronic access to every PFRs’ license plate numbers. Then those neighborhoods will flag all “sex offender” vehicles. Then they’ll need a new “law” to restrict THOSE people from driving around their greatness.
It is all a bunch of idiotic, illegal nonsense. No informed, intelligent, moral person supports it.
So how dumb is dumb with this age of digital. Nex thing you know they will make digital sex legal, guess they already have did that for many. Time to reproof a little bit and understand a bit of wisdom as man is in for a downfall. Guess its starts when your always afraid. So who is stepping out of line.
If this sex registry wasn’t bad enough. Heck in parts of TN you can’t even get a good signal and I’m sure many other places. This I-phone is like being in step or keeping up with the Jones’s. Seems like everybody has a theory. Should one go back to who’s on first? or maybe who’s getting the boner out of this sex slave adjustment by internet. Or who is meddling in others affairs.
Guess people are paranoid. Even authorities have screwed things up by this registry inducement and now “digital licenses” must be some real wise “Trump” type government foolish people that don’t even know how to spell Tallahassassess or someone is using to much cock butter in their mixed drinks down there. There’s something to this digital stuff that is very uncanny and unwise or is Florida the most prideful state in the nation. A bill like this sucks for air.
How allowing the public access to a RS location via proximity software so they will know when any of us are standing near them?
Sentinel
If that is allowed, you will see a lot of people on the registry being attacked more often. I can see it now. You are in Walmart and everyone gets an alert on their phone that a registered sex offender is within 50 feet of them. Some yells “Get him” and you are pummeled to death by a crazed crowd of Government influenced idiots.
Folks I think if this info is on your DL they can digitize the SO info easy enough. Info tends to “round up” with more info, not less. We are not dealing with old fashioned military style dog tags.
They most likely will charge the RSO’s extra money for the added software cost. I am so overwhelmed with worry on future technologies. Was getting use to the norm,,,,,,,, The new norm will be harder to get used to.
Just read Cosby was released. Conviction overturned by Supreme Court.
To clarify Jed, Cosby’s conviction was overturned by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court. The US Supreme Court was NOT involved in this case.
Bob
No, no you are both wrong and misread the story. It was actually The singing group, The “Supremes” who spoke on his behalf and got him released. LOL …..(Ok a little humor)