'i create fake ids of your mp so you can get round online safety act'

Use-Their-ID.com generated fake ID,seemingly of Keir Starmer,using just a passcode in his constituency

(Picture: GETTY / use-their-id.com)

‘It will be funny when Keir Starmer’s driving licence is leaked online,’ said Tim Knight,the creator of Use-Their-ID,a website that generates IDs of any sitting MP in response to the Online Safety Act.

Type in a postcode,and in just seconds you can get something that looks uncomfortably real – a photo,a signature,a date of birth,a home address.

Like the prime minister’s ID,all of it is fake,of course – but people are trying to use it to bypass age verification checks online.

Use-Their-ID is part prank,part protest against the controversial law,which aims to stop children from seeing harmful content relating to suicide,self-harm,eating disorders and pornography.

Since the Online Safety Act came into effect last Friday,more than 100,000 driving licences have been generated on Knight’s website.

They face large fines if they fail to comply with the sweeping rules.

He added: ‘MPs seem to have come up with this legislation based on their gut feeling – and not really listening to experts.

‘The entire tech industry – and I do not just mean American social media companies – are all face-palming right now at how silly the legislation is.

‘It has turned the UK into a bit of a laughing stock.’

Knight created Use-Their ID as a ‘joke’. He thought it would be ‘funny when the inevitable data leaks do happen and MP’s ID cards show up’ online.

As a software engineer,he builds web applications for a living,so he does ‘actually know about the security side of things’.

In the last week,people have praised his site,describing it as an ‘excellent use of his skills’.

Comments from supporters read ‘thank you immensely’ and ‘thank you for caring’,with one of them saying: ‘Thank you so much for the ID website,it is both bloody funny and an excellent idea.

‘Best of luck if anyone comes after you.’

A spokesperson for the Department for Science,Innovation and Technology told Metro: The law is clear: platforms must not promote ways to circumvent requirements of the Act,and those who fall short will face serious enforcement action.

‘Ofcom is already assessing platform compliance to ensure robust safeguards are in place to prevent circumvention,and investigations are underway into 37 sites.’