Investigation Reveals UK NGOs Lobbying for Digital ID Laws in US
An inquiry by Effort has identified a coordinated campaign by five foreign non-governmental organisations and their US affiliates to influence American lawmakers. The groups are advocating for digital ID and age verification laws under the guise of child safety, replicating a strategy that has already been implemented in the UK.
An investigation by the outlet Effort has identified a coordinated campaign involving five foreign non-governmental organisations and their US affiliates to influence American lawmakers. The groups are advocating for digital ID and age verification laws under the rhetoric of 'child safety', aiming to replicate a legislative strategy successfully implemented in the United Kingdom. The campaign targets legislation in 21 US states and the US Congress, with some bills explicitly drawing on British models such as the Age Appropriate Design Code (AADC).
Key entities identified in the report include the 5Rights Foundation, the Center for Countering Digital Hate (CCDH), the Institute for Strategic Dialogue (ISD), and Reset Tech, alongside their US affiliates or proxies. The investigation highlights significant overlap in leadership and funding between these UK-based entities and their American counterparts, suggesting a unified approach to shaping policy across the Atlantic.
Critics argue that these laws facilitate internet surveillance and the suppression of political dissent. They note that similar measures in the UK have been used to target political dissidents, with digital ID laws serving as a key component in stripping users of internet anonymity. The report suggests that foreign principals are leveraging this regulatory framework to export authoritarian control mechanisms to the United States.
The 5Rights Foundation, founded by Baroness Beeban Kidron, has been particularly active in lobbying efforts. The organisation engaged on 42 bills across 18 states, with 11 becoming law. In California, 5Rights paid Capitol Connection $50,000 to lobby for legislation, a disclosure that was made over a year after the bill passed. The foundation has also supported bills that explicitly draw on the UK’s Age Appropriate Design Code, with joint statements from bill authors and 5Rights confirming the direct influence of British models.
The Center for Countering Digital Hate has faced accusations of violating the Foreign Agents Registration Act, with America First Legal alleging violations in 2024. The US Department of Justice has not publicly announced any investigation into CCDH. Meanwhile, the Institute for Strategic Dialogue has contracted with the US State Department and other government bodies for millions of dollars, with reports describing its mission as controlling internet speech by conflating political dissent with misinformation.
Reset Tech Action, the US affiliate of Reset Tech, spent over $1.35 million lobbying Congress and state legislatures from 2024 through the second quarter of 2026. The investigation found significant overlap between Reset Tech and 5Rights, with four of the six bills lobbied for by Reset Tech also being engaged with by 5Rights. This interconnected network of organisations is now pushing for a patchwork of digital ID laws across the United States.
