What you need to know about accessing your driver’s license on your iPhone

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — Ohioans can now upload and access their driver’s licenses on their phones inside their Apple Wallet. But should people be worried for their privacy, and will this form of ID be accepted everywhere?

This form of mobile ID can be used at airport security checkpoints at John Glenn International Airport and select businesses. Aaron Sellers, the Public Information Officer for the Franklin County Board of Elections, said it is not an acceptable form of voter identification at this time. He said that is because Ohio law is not updated to include the mobile ID just yet.

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“So, simply the legislature will have to update the language and I think it’s Ohio Revised Code [Section] 3501.01,” Sellers said. “Will that happen before this election cycle? I’m not sure if that will happen before then.”

Sellers said they will not turn voters away though if they show up with just the mobile ID.

“Somebody that comes in that were to have that they would certainly be offered to vote a provisional ballot,” Sellers said. “If they didn’t want to do that, they could certainly go back to get their driver’s license or passport or some other form of I.D. That is acceptable.”

Sellers said in the upcoming weeks they will be upping their social media campaigns and adding more signage to remind voters about the proper identification. The deadline to register to vote in the November election is on October 7.

Select businesses are accepting the use of the mobile ID. Cyber security expert with Franklin University, Denise Bergstrom, said users should proceed with caution.

“So, it definitely has some advantages, but it’s just like anything else,” Bergstrom said. “You need to keep it safe. You need to be aware of your surroundings and how you’re using it and don’t leave things where predators could get access to them.”

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She said to always have a strong password and not to rely on just face ID for sensitive apps.

“If, you know, if your phone gets intercepted by somebody, if somebody happens to be in the proximity and they capture the signal of your phone, authenticating with the reader, while it may not be able to decrypt it today, if they find a way to decrypt it tomorrow and they’ve already captured your information, they can now go back and try to decrypt it,” Bergstrom said.

She said the Apple Wallet encryption method is stronger than others out there but it is still better to be safe.

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