Role-play note: This is a fictional first-person review set in 2028, using real systems and features that exist or have been rolling out. It’s a scenario, not my actual life—but the examples are real.
(For the blow-by-blow version of this same 2028 experiment, see my separate diary-style write-up here.)
Quick take
I spent a week living on “digital ID” first. Phone first. Wallet second. Sometimes it felt like magic. Sometimes it felt like a line that wouldn’t move. Both can be true.
How I set it up (kept it real)
- Apple Wallet ID (mobile driver’s license, the ISO-style one some states support)
- Google Wallet ID on a Pixel (same idea, different phone)
- Login.gov for federal stuff (no face scan; solid 2-step codes)
- ID.me for a state site that still uses it
- NHS App and NHS login (for health records when I was in the UK earlier this year)
- BankID (Sweden) for a remote test account I use for work research
- Singpass (Singapore) on a spare device I keep for cross-border testing
If you’re curious about how Sweden structures its national e-ID ecosystem, the Nordic Council’s concise primer on electronic identification offers a helpful snapshot.
Airport test: smooth, with a small hitch
I started at a TSA lane that supports digital ID. Real thing. The officer pointed me to the reader. I double-clicked my phone. Face ID checked me. The machine pulled only what it needed—name, age, photo. No one grabbed my phone. That part matters.
- What worked: it was fast; no fumbling. The screen showed “verified” and I felt a tiny spark of joy.
- What bugged me: a second officer asked for my physical license anyway. Old habit. Not mean, just careful. So I showed it. No big deal, but still.
I’ve also seen CLEAR lanes scan faces right at the pod. It’s slick, but not for every airport. And not for everyone’s comfort level, either.
(For a focused look at airport checkpoints—smooth when they click, awkward when they stall—check out my dedicated trip report here.)
Pharmacy pickup: not yet, sorry
I tried to pick up a refill and asked if they’d take my Apple Wallet ID. The pharmacist said, “We need the plastic, sorry.” Fair. Store policy. They let me use it for age check once at a self-checkout elsewhere, but this pharmacy wasn’t ready. Lesson: the law may allow it, but the till might not.
(The Pacific Northwest paints a similar picture. My earlier Washington State field test walks through what actually worked and what didn’t—read it here.)
Renting a car online: close, but scanning wins
The car rental site did a “scan your license” step. It didn’t accept a mobile driver’s license yet. It wanted the front and back of the plastic. I sighed and grabbed it. The flow used liveness checks and took two minutes. It worked, just not the way I wanted.
(Six weeks of on-the-road testing in Oklahoma told a similar tale; the full reality check lives here.)
Government stuff: Login.gov felt steady
I logged in to grab my tax transcript. Login.gov sent me a code. No selfie, no video. Clean. Later, I hit a state portal that still uses ID.me. That one asked for a short selfie video and the front of my license. It approved me in under five minutes. Fast, but more… intense. Different tools, different vibes.
(Utah’s rollout taught me even more about how state portals mesh—or don’t—with mobile credentials. My Salt Lake City notes are here.)
Health care: NHS App felt grown-up
When I was in the UK earlier this year, I used the NHS App to view a repeat prescription and vaccine history. It used NHS login with identity checks and strong passcodes. In 2028, I’d trust that again. It’s not flashy, but it works, and it’s tied to real records. No guessing.
(University campuses grapple with similar health-data flows. My honest take after actually using UCI’s digital ID is here.)
Banking test: BankID is the gold standard
BankID in Sweden? That thing is a tank. I used it to sign a small contract and approve a transfer during a test. Tap, confirm, done. It acts like a digital stamp with legal weight. I wish more places had that model. It sets the bar for speed and trust. For a deeper dive into the way BankID enables secure digital identification and legally binding signatures, see this detailed business overview.
(Georgia’s own digital ID week showed me how financial expectations change when the state leans in—full story here.)
Singapore check: Singpass is everywhere
With Singpass, I pulled my digital NRIC info, filed a form, and used a QR to share just my name and age for a pickup. It’s very normal there—scan, consent, share the minimum. That “show less” design lowers the creep factor.
(Arizona was one of the pioneers on U.S. soil; my on-the-ground notes from that launch are here.)
Bars and bouncers: your mileage may vary
I tried to show my phone at a bar. The bouncer grinned and waved the little flashlight. He wanted the plastic. He said, “We get fakes on phones, too.” I don’t blame him. Smaller spots follow simple rules: if it’s plastic, it’s real enough.
(For another state’s take—complete with lessons on training both bouncers and DMV clerks—see my North Carolina recap here.)
The good stuff I felt
- It’s fast when the reader supports it.
- Selective sharing is real. Age only, or name only. That’s smart privacy.
- My phone stayed in my hand. No one swiped it away.
- Travel felt lighter. One less card to stress about.
The pain points I hit
- Patchy support. One lane says yes, the next says no.
- Staff training. People are kind, but not everyone knows the flow.
- Battery anxiety. I carried a tiny power bank. Silly, but I did.
- Backup drama. If you lose your phone, the recovery steps can feel long.
A tiny privacy chat (promise, tiny)
Face scans and liveness checks can feel weird. Some systems, like Login.gov, skip them. Others, like ID.me in selfie mode, still ask. I like choice. Give me clear consent screens. Tell me what gets kept. Say how long. I’ll still say yes, most days—but I want the facts. If you want a deeper dive into how open standards like OpenID underpin these flows, check out this concise guide.
That mindset carries over to our most personal chats, too: negotiating consent, limiting the data trail, and understanding the tech settings before you hit send. Anyone looking for a practical primer on keeping intimate messages both fun and secure should explore the comprehensive Sexting Guide — it walks you through boundaries, consent language, privacy tools, and modern etiquette so your private moments stay truly private.
While tinkering with those same privacy tools, I also noticed how the “prove just enough” idea is creeping into the adult-services scene. Several independent providers in college towns now ask newcomers to flash a limited digital credential—age plus a selfie—before they’ll book. If you scroll through the well-trafficked College Park listings on Listcrawler, you can see that trend in action, with ads that spell out exactly what verification they need and why it keeps both parties safer and appointments smoother.
What surprised me
- I trusted QR codes more than I thought. They’re simple. They ask before sharing.
- People are the bottleneck, not the tech. Training and policy matter.
- Physical IDs aren’t going away. And maybe that’s fine. Belts and suspenders.
My wishlist for 2028
- One clear rulebook per country. Not twenty.