Listen "#525 EU Digital ID: Efficiency or Control?"
Episode Synopsis
In this episode, host Niall sits down with John McGuirk from Gript Media to unpack the growing debate around the EU’s push to introduce a digital ID by the end of 2026. While some countries, like Germany, have already committed to rolling it out, others remain divided. Switzerland only narrowly approved the measure in a recent referendum, and in the UK, resistance is strong, with many questioning whether such an ID system is necessary or safe.Niall and John explore the core arguments on both sides of the debate.Supporters argue that a digital ID could streamline access to services, reduce fraud, and make life easier in an increasingly digital society.Opponents raise concerns about data protection, privacy, and government overreach, insisting that authorities already hold too much personal information and that centralising it could be risky.As always, Niall opens the phone lines to hear directly from listeners. Callers weigh in with passionate perspectives — some viewing the digital ID as a natural step forward in a modern world, others warning that it could erode personal freedoms and set a dangerous precedent.This lively conversation examines not just the policy, but the wider cultural and political resistance to digital identity in Europe and the UK, asking: Is this progress, or is it a step too far?
More episodes of the podcast The Niall Boylan Podcast (They Told Me To Shut Up)
#560 RTÉ: Keep the Fee or Set It Free
17/11/2025
#557 Follow the Bottles, Follow the Money
23/10/2025
#558 Councils vs. Kids: The Bonfire Bust-Up
23/10/2025
#554 Covid: The Regrets That Still Haunt Us
22/10/2025
#556 Vandalising Ireland, Dr. Eoin Lenihan,
22/10/2025
#553 Does Jennie's Law Go Far Enough?
21/10/2025
ZARZA We are Zarza, the prestigious firm behind major projects in information technology.