An ID check (short for identity check) is the process by which the State verifies a person's identity by asking them for their personal information, requiring them to produce a government-issued ID document, or taking their biometric information (face photograph, fingerprints, DNA) and comparing it against a database. An ID check can be a pretext for questioning and pressuring, and can be followed by a search of the person's belongings.
Complying with an ID check gives the State information about you, which can help them map your network, and can lead to your arrest if you are wanted by them. The consequences of being unable or refusing to comply with an ID check are highly context-dependent, but may include having your biometric information taken by force or without your knowledge, being detained, and being deported out of the country.
The likelihood of being targeted by an ID check depends on the situation and on how you are perceived by the State. You are less likely to be targeted if you are engaged in inconspicuous activites and dressed to appear wealthy. You are more likely to be targeted if you are perceived as a potential criminal or illegal immigrant, or if you are entering or leaving a riot.
Used in tactics: Arrest, Incrimination
Mitigations
| Name | Description |
|---|---|
| Avoiding self-incrimination | If possible, you can avoid answering questions or providing biometric information (face photograph, fingerprints, DNA) during an ID check. |
| Fake ID | During an ID check, if providing your real identity could lead to your arrest or other negative consequences, you can present a fake ID (as long as the fake ID is not recognized as such by the State). |
Used in repressive operations
| Name | Description |
|---|---|
| Case against Boris | Investigators obtained and analyzed records of ID checks made by local police shortly before and after the sabotages, in different perimeters around where the sabotages took place, presumably hoping to find the names of the saboteurs in those records[1]. |