Washington has long warned about covert foreign influence campaigns targeting American democracy. Yet the most effective operation now unfolds openly in the United Kingdom, aiming to dismantle the First Amendment state by state.
Foreign NGOs Push Digital ID Bills Across U.S.
An investigation by Effort News found five foreign non‑governmental organizations coordinating a nationwide push for digital identity legislation in 21 statehouses and Congress. Their playbook uses child safety as a shield to mandate government‑issued IDs, credit‑card verification or biometric facial scans, effectively ending online anonymity for adults.
British Links Exposed
The Center for Countering Digital Hate, co‑founded by Imran Ahmed and Morgan McSweeney, former chief of staff to Prime Minister Keir Starmer, has operated in the United States without registering under the Foreign Agents Registration Act, prompting DOJ complaints. Its activities have drawn scrutiny for undisclosed foreign influence.
The 5Rights Foundation, led by Baroness Beeban Kidron of the British House of Lords, helped draft California’s Age‑Appropriate Design Code, copying the UK model. It paid Capitol Connection $50,000 to lobby the bill in 2022.
Capitol Connection failed to disclose its foreign‑agent status for 5Rights until 2024, after the legislation passed. It omitted any reference to the Baroness’s influence in its filings.
Funding Trail
The Institute for Strategic Dialogue, a London‑based think tank, has received over $11.2 million in U.S. government grants from the State Department, DOJ and Homeland Security. That amount far exceeds the £720,000 it obtained from the UK government.
Industry Cartel Benefits
The Age Verification Providers Association, dominated by British executives from firms like Yoti, operates as a cartel. It stands to earn millions if states require websites to install digital ID‑checking software.
State Strategy and First Amendment
Because the First Amendment blocks federal speech codes, foreign actors pursue a state‑by‑state rollout. Once a few states adopt age‑verification mandates, tech companies will standardize the rules nationwide for efficiency.
Call to Action
State legislators must reject foreign‑driven digital ID bills and protect online anonymity. They should remember that the Founders relied on secrecy to challenge power, not to enable government overreach.
Samiksha Bhattacharjee, president of the University College London Libertarian Society and contributor to Ladies of Liberty Alliance UK, wrote this piece for State of the Debate.
