Vaccine passports pave the way for digital identity system, warns Nick Corbishley

03/08/2022 / By Ramon Tomey

Finance and economics journalist Nick Corbishley warned that Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine passports pave the way for a more pervasive digital identity system. He told “The HighWire” host Del Bigtree that this digital ID system could be linked to bank accounts in the future.

Bigtree played footage of news reports announcing the end of vaccine passports in the U.S. and other countries around the world. He also played speeches from leaders such as Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot and British Prime Minister Boris Johnson rescinding proof of vaccination mandates in their respective jurisdictions.

“It feels like the wheels are coming off of this crazy ship we’ve all been stuck on for some time. But as we watch the news, I wonder: Should we be excited? Complacent? Attentive? Maybe this wasn’t just about trying to get everybody vaccinated around the planet. Perhaps the vaccine was just the tip of the spear [for] an agenda to create a reason to track all of us,” said Bigtree.

The British-born Corbishley commented on Bigtree’s remarks. “I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but I think we need to be more vigilant than ever right now. What we are being told does not coincide with what is happening behind the scenes. We need to be watching what our politicians do, rather than just listening to what they say.”

According to Corbishley, several countries covertly launched their respective digital ID programs alongside their repeal of proof of vaccination mandates. He cited several countries – including the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and New Zealand – that implemented their respective systems for different reasons. The U.K. justified its decision by mentioning the need for employers to verify their workers’ identities, added Corbishley.

“This digital identity wallet will essentially include everything, as well as probably your vaccination status. If this takes root [and] becomes part of normality, then it’s not going to be a very nice future for the rest of us.” (Related: Diabolical — How digital ID will control your life.)

More dangers if digital ID is linked to bank accounts

Corbishley told Bigtree: “One of the scariest aspects is this idea of central banks [controlling] digital currency, this idea of linking up digital identity to [the] financial system. That should be a warning to us all.” He cited incidents that happened in Canada and Russia as examples of the risks associated with connecting digital identity to bank accounts.

In Canada, the government froze several bank accounts linked to the Freedom Convoy protests. The country’s Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland, who concurrently serves as the finance minister, confirmed the move. The freezing of bank accounts, done in cooperation with law enforcement, sought to penalize those involved in the protest organized by truckers against COVID-19 mandates. “The consequences are real and they will bite,” said Freeland.

Meanwhile, Apple Pay and Google Pay suspended their services in Russia in response to the country’s assault on Ukraine. As a result, many Russians were unable to access both payment systems – which are used to pay for tickets on the Moscow Metro train system. Irish journalist Jason Corcoran confirmed the development in a tweet, writing: “Apple Pay and Google Pay no longer work on Moscow’s metro system, leading to long queues as people fumble about for cash.”

“This is a scary thing as we move toward a kind of digital money system, which is what our central banks are certainly trying to do right now. The idea of this being connected to our digital identity gives them an enormous power to cut us off from the economy. That is something that probably terrifies me the most, and it’s something that is becoming more and more possible as technologies evolve,” concluded Corbishley.