Michael Shellenberger

Michael Shellenberger is one of a handful of prominent writer-journalists (with Naomi Wolf being another) who in recent years have severed their allegiance to the Democratic party after waking up to the realities of the “uniparty” and to growing tyranny and censorship. He is an endowed professor and CBR Chair of Politics, Censorhip, and Free Speech at the University of Austin.

In addition to being an eloquent defender of free speech and the United States’ unique-in-the-world First Amendment—see his recent interview with Tucker Carlson on this topic—Shellenberger is an equally potent critic of digital IDs. In a powerful September 2025 article at his online newsletter Public, Shellenberger displays a crystal-clear understanding of why America’s rapid movement toward a digital ID surveillance and control system (via measures such as the REAL ID and mobile drivers licenses) is so dangerous. Quoting Oracle’s Larry Ellison as gleefully stating, “Citizens will be on their best behavior because we’re constantly recording and reporting everything that’s going on,” Shellenberger warns, “A digital ID that link[s] our social media, vaccine records, and bank accounts could allow governments to censor and control the population, violating our free speech and privacy rights.”

Shellenberger also points out that digital IDs represent “a hacker’s dream”: “[H]aving separate log-ins for our financial, health, shopping, banking, credit card, and other data makes sure that if one is hacked they aren’t all hacked.” As we pointed out not too long ago at Solari, 92% of credit card fraud is accomplished through remote access to personal data and account information—that is, hacking—rather than as a result of lost or stolen cards.

Reporting on UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s announcement of a UK digital ID, “BritCard,” Shellenberger is issuing a call to arms to Americans as well as free speech and privacy advocates, stating that not enough has been done to stop the march toward digital IDs in the U.S. We salute him for pledging to do more, “including making grants to people doing investigatory reporting, research, documentary filmmaking, policy development and policy advocacy on digital IDs.”

You, too, can do your part to reject the digital ID agenda. If you are in the U.S., ignore the propaganda urging you to get a REAL ID and falsely telling you that you can’t fly without one—there are other forms of ID you can use for air travel. If you have a REAL ID and live in one of the 46 states or five American territories that provide non-REAL-ID driver’s licenses as an option, get your REAL ID removed.

And, of course, another great way to push back against digital IDs is to use cash!