Singpass Digital IC: Why your parents' days of forgetting ICs are over

Hands up if your parents are the type who usually leave their physical identity card, commonly known as IC, at home because they’re afraid they’ll lose it. And hands up if they’ve ever forgotten to bring along their IC for whatever official business they must settle, even after making a hundred mental notes the day before.

How your Digital IC appears on the Singpass app.

Well, their days of “forgot to bring IC” are over, thanks to the Singpass Digital IC! All Singpass users can now see their Digital IC displayed prominently on the app’s homepage, and yes, it resembles the physical IC so you can’t miss it.

If your folks are the type who need some persuasion to adopt new tech, here are some ways you can convince them.

All government agencies now accept the Digital IC

All government agencies now accept the Digital IC as proof of identity for in-person services. This includes counter services at government ministries and agencies, public libraries, and SingHealth polyclinics. Since you’re unlikely to forget your smartphone while going out, no more smacking your head at the counter because you’ve forgotten your physical IC!

There are instances where your physical IC is specifically required by law, such as for registering a marriage (which probably won’t matter to your parents anyway…) and hotel check-ins. The authorities are reviewing the legislation to formalise the use of Digital ICs for these exceptions.

Besides the Digital IC, Singpass is packed with other features! Watch this video to find out more!

Safe and secure

One perennial concern that keeps seniors from using technology is cybersecurity. They are already unfamiliar with technology, and the added fear of being hacked turns them off. With the Digital IC, you can assure them that there are several built-in security and privacy features.

The Digital IC is kept secure with various security features

• It displays the latest photo you’ve provided to the Government to facilitate face-to-face verifications.

• Only the last four characters of your IC number are displayed on the homepage. Authentication is required to access the full IC number, and an additional tap on “Show details” to reveal full information.

• This means that your parents’ personal information is shielded should they lose their smartphone, compared to having all their information exposed should they misplace their physical IC.

• Exploring your freshly installed app and seeing your IC number in full without authentication? Don’t panic just yet! A 2-minute grace period after each authentication (which you’ve done during app setup!) lets you navigate the app easily before authentication is requested again.

• There is an animated and holographic lion crest on the Digital IC. The crest is absent or appears static when someone attempts to capture a screenshot or recording of the Digital IC. (Go on, try to take a screen recording of your Digital IC and see what happens!)

• If malicious apps are detected on the device, the app will not be usable until the threat is removed.

• If your parents lose their device, they can also remotely deactivate their Singpass app on the Singpass website or install the app on another device to automatically deactivate it on the lost device.

Finally, most of us now protect access to our smart devices with pins or biometric options, adding another layer of security.

An important step towards Smart Nation

When we think of life in Singapore, “pink IC” is one of the things that inevitably comes to mind. We’ve used it at every life milestone – from national examinations to National Service, ROM, HDB applications and more. Our IC has indeed come a long way from the laminated cards in the 60’s to the polycarbonate cards issued in the 90’s that we know today.

The digitalisation of this document, which is a core part of life here, is a small yet fundamental step in our progress as a Smart Nation. Today, 94% of government services are digital from end-to-end, mobile penetration is high, and the use of e-payments is prevalent. Having an important document like the Digital IC with you in your smartphone opens possibilities for a digital wallet and brings us one step closer to leaving our homes without bulky wallets in our pockets!

Wait, before you go – please remind your parents that just like how they will not allow others to photocopy their ICs without a good reason, they should not let others take pictures of their Digital IC or send screenshots of it to friends or strangers! Yes, there are security measures in place, but we should still play our part to keep our digital identity safe.

GovTech currently partners with the SG Digital Office (SDO) through the Seniors Go Digital programme to support users who may need help picking up digital tools. If your parents or friends need help, they may visit any SG Digital Community Hub for a 1-on-1 consultation with a Digital Ambassador or contact the Singpass helpdesk.