Google Wallet Introduces New Feature That Lets You Store Your Passports as Digital IDs

Google Wallet is an app that lets you store your cards, tickets, and IDs on your phone. It is testing a new feature that turns your passports into digital IDs. This will be a significant advancement as it eliminates the necessity of beating the clock while diligently searching for your wallet as you slowly approach a TSA agent in line.

Along with storing more transit cards and importing tickets from booking confirmations. You can now get notifications when a pass changes or get a message, and access your passes on the web. 

However, there’s a catch, as this new digital ID feature won’t be functional at every airport. On Thursday, 21 states and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico will have at least one airport that accepts digital IDs. To determine if the state you fly to accept digital IDs at security checkpoints, consult the TSA’s digital map on its website. 

Another aspect to consider is that this might not be a safer option, and concerns remain. Unfortunately, if there are any lapses from the security side, hackers can easily intrude into your wallet and steal your digital IDs for identity theft. 

There are also apprehensions that the governments might take advantage of them to gather information on people and subsequently breach civil rights. This could also potentially disadvantage low-income individuals by rendering travel or registration procedures less convenient.