The National Police, which has a brilliant communication practice on social networks, opened a heated debate a few days ago after one of its spokespersons explained through a video on TikTok that “very soon” we will be able to carry the DNI on the mobile phone.
There are not many details about how the DNI will work on the mobile, but a social discussion between supporters and detractors of the novelty was immediately created following the video. As occurs in the debate on credit and debit cards on mobile phones, among the latter there are always some wildfire discoverers who believe they have found the supposedly definitive argument: “What if your mobile phone is stolen?”
Well, if your cell phone is stolen, fewer things can happen than if your wallet is stolen. In the latter case, you lose the money you carry in cash and, at the very least, your cards can be used without codes in small payments. In addition, the DNI, health card and other documents are exposed. So the thief will know, for example, your name, date of birth and address.
If your cell phone is stolen, things are more difficult. Operating systems and apps have encryption systems, double verification and biometric identification stored in many current models in a secure enclave chip within the device. Nothing is without risk, but it is more likely that all data will be safe during the first hours of a mobile theft. Much more than in a wallet.
If your mobile phone is stolen, both with Android and iOS (iPhone), you can locate, lock and even erase the device remotely. As a lesser evil, when you buy a new phone, it will be configured exactly as the one that was stolen was, without loss of money or documentation.
Personally, I have had my wallet stolen twice in Barcelona. In addition to the anxiety of having to quickly cancel the cards, I lost money and then had to repeat the tedious documentation renewal procedures for several days.
After the second robbery, I rethought everything. I remembered that Johan Cruyff always explained the anecdote about a rival striker who always had a great game against Barça because he distanced himself very well from the defenders. Until Cruyff thought of not putting anyone to mark him. If you don’t mark him, he cannot be unmarked. “He didn’t touch a ball the entire game,” he laughed.
In the same way, if you don’t have a wallet, it can’t be stolen. I carry my driving license in the MiDGT app, like bank cards. No one will be forced to carry their identification card on their cell phone. Let everyone choose which system they feel most secure with, but this will open a new gap between those who take advantage of technology and those who do not.