Survey: 87% of Dutch DigiD users would boycott it if system falls under US ownership

A large majority of Dutch consumers say they would stop using DigiD if the platform’s underlying infrastructure is taken over by a U.S. company, while many also report that completing essential government tasks without the login system is nearly impossible, according to a survey of more than 28,000 people.

Research conducted by the Radar Panel found that 96 percent of respondents are concerned about a potential U.S. takeover of Solvinity, the platform behind DigiD. Among people who currently use DigiD, 87 percent said they would prefer to stop using the service if it came under American ownership.

Despite those concerns, most respondents said practical alternatives are limited. One in three people surveyed said they had tried at least once to handle matters such as taxes, pensions, or health insurance without DigiD. Of those attempts, 75 percent said they were not successful in every case.

Many respondents, therefore, said they feel effectively forced to use the system. “We are stuck with DigiD; this should never have been outsourced to a company outside the Netherlands,” one participant said.

Among respondents who tried to manage their affairs without DigiD, via postal mail or phone calls, 81 percent said the process sometimes involved significant hassle and extra time. Some users described a circular problem when seeking offline options. One panel participant said: “To make an appointment to arrange something at a physical counter, you already need your DigiD.”

During Monday night’s broadcast of the consumer program Radar, Ot van Daalen, a technology lawyer and researcher at the Instituut voor Informatierecht, said the public’s concerns are justified. Under U.S. law, data held by American companies can potentially be accessed by U.S. authorities, which could affect the Netherlands’ digital sovereignty, he said.

European regulations require member states to provide national alternatives to such systems by the end of 2026. However, Radar’s review suggests that deadline may not be met, with workable alternatives still scarce.

One exception is the municipality of Nijmegen, which currently offers an alternative decentralized login method developed by a Dutch foundation: Yivi. The program is reportedly being examined as a possible model for broader use if concerns over DigiD’s ownership continue to grow.