Government Would Like a Word
The article discusses how governments are increasingly seeking to regulate speech and communication, framing these efforts as necessary for public safety or national security, but raising concerns about overreach and the erosion of free expression.
Background
- "Your Government Would Like a Word" (by an anonymous author on the substack-like platform Expression) is a critical essay about digital ID systems, particularly government-mandated identity verification for accessing online services.
- The piece warns that tying speech, assembly, or news-reading to verified digital identities — even under the guise of "safety" or "fraud prevention" — effectively recreates the permit-and-surveillance systems of authoritarian states.
- The author argues that the UK's Online Safety Act, the EU's eIDAS framework, and various national digital ID schemes (India's Aadhaar, Australia's myGovID) create infrastructure where every online action can be logged to a real person, chilling dissent and enabling political policing.
- "Expression" is a relatively new platform focused on free expression and privacy, often publishing contrarian takes on digital rights and surveillance.