Physical start for digital ID and cryptograph wrappers at Identity Week Day 2

Digital identity for development and inclusion was one of the main themes of the second day of London Identity Week. Held in the UK, there was the opportunity to examine the country’s significant exclusion issues and ways to tackle them.

Without regulation, digital identity might only help with inclusion if the whole industry moves forward together to share the cost of onboarding unprofitable customers, found a panel on the issues. Opening up more ways to verify identities could allow more people to enjoy the benefits of having an easily-proved identity.

Around 12 percent of the UK’s adult population – 5.9 million individuals – are ID-challenged, according to the most detailed study into the issue, carried out on behalf of the Open Identity Exchange. The study found that opening up more datasets for use, such as digital verifiable credentials, allows for more people to be verified and would increase inclusion. Improving access to the priority data sets such as National Insurance and NHS records would also help.

“We know users understand that digital identity will allow them to make their lives easier, to collect and digitize their existing credentials… we know there’s an appetite for organizations to accept it,” said Nick Mothershaw, chief identity strategist at the Open Identity Exchange (OIX), “but this is only going to work if it moves the whole digital world forward, and it’s got to move forward in terms of inclusion.”

Mothershaw outlined why the previous UK government digital ID service Verify failed on inclusion by struggling to include people with a “thin file,” poor credit or address histories.

The UK’s establishment of a trust framework to oversee its digital identity landscape could (and should) mean it is more inclusive than the previous Verify attempt.

“If it goes wrong, we face creating a two-tier society: the haves and the have-nots,” said Sarah Walton, digital consultant at Counterpoint which led the OIX report.

“It’s got to be better than what’s already there,” said Mothershaw, noting the many millions of pounds being spent on digital systems and user experience. Travel during COVID is providing many examples of “bad digital.”

Better identity systems could save people money, especially those on lower incomes, said Walton. People on low incomes of around £8,000 to £10,000 a year could save over £800 a year – a huge proportion of their income – simply by being able to pay bills via direct debit rather than cash.

Walton believes inclusion will come down to closer collaboration between the government and the private sector and particularly the financial service sector. She hopes the requirements made by the Government Digital Service to ensure everyone can access government services will be applied throughout the private sector.

With thanks to Biometric Update. The full story is here: https://www.biometricupdate.com/202109/physical-start-for-digital-id-and-cryptograph-wrappers-at-identity-week-day-2

Find out how The Identity Organisation can help you onboard Digital Identities, Avoid Fraud and Keep Data Secure with AcuantGo

PS: Don’t like to click on redirected buttons? Cut & Paste this link in your browser: https://mailchi.mp/8b5c8353e419/acuantgo-rfi