Switzerland
Swiss voters rejected a proposed national law for a digital identity after a referendum fueled by privacy concerns. According to SwissInfo via Biometric Update, the new digital ID measure would have allowed the central government to control and licence an identity data verification system run by private companies. In January, Swiss civil society groups had lobbied against the proposed law and collected enough signatures to force a referendum.
However, the vote is only likely to only delay the process as opponents still agree that a digital ID is needed, it notes.
Switzerland has made several attempts at introducing a national digital identity but to no avail. The main reason for the delayed implementation seems to be that the nation is not part of the European Union and therefore does not have to adhere to data regulations such as GDPR. This allowed lawmakers to designate private companies to handle sensitive data for each of the cantons, Switzerland’s regional authorities.
Singapore
Singapore Airlines (SIA) will be the world’s first airline to pilot the International Air Transport Association’s (IATA) Travel Pass mobile application for digital health verification, starting with passengers travelling from Singapore to London from March 15 to 28, 2021.
This marks the second phase of SIA’s digital health verification process trials, which is based on the IATA Travel Pass framework.
Passengers using Apple’s iOS operating system on their mobile devices will be invited to download the IATA Travel Pass app, and create a digital ID comprising their profile photo and passport information. They can also insert their flight information into the app.
Passengers will also be able to book their pre-departure COVID-19 test at one of seven participating clinics in Singapore via SIA’s dedicated online portal. They can then register at the clinic using the digital ID and flight information in the app and view their test results, as well as confirmation status to fly. IATA’s Timatic registry will provide the back-end information on the COVID-19 testing and entry requirements.
Participants will need to show their confirmed status in the app to the check-in staff in Changi Airport before flight departure. In line with current regulatory requirements, passengers will also need to bring a physical copy of their health certificate that is issued by the clinic where they took their COVID-19 test.
By consolidating the verification of health credentials into a single app, SIA says that it aims to create a faster and more seamless check-in process. Participants will have full control over how their personal information is shared, as the data is stored locally in the mobile phone and not in any central database.
If successful, the pilot is expected to pave the way for the integration of the entire digital health verification process into the SingaporeAir mobile app from around mid-2021, again using IATA’s Travel Pass framework.
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Nigeria
Technology and insurance policy experts in Nigeria have called for a policy making digital ID mandatory for insurance to be put in place, which they believe can drive the insurance culture in the country.
The topic was discussed during the second edition of a leadership webinar series, dubbed Digital Identity Matters, run by digital ID verification company VerifyMe Nigeria in partnership with tech news outlet Tech Cabal.
With a population of more than 200 million citizens, just about one percent of Nigerians are said to have an insurance plan of any form.
In different reports by Tech Cabal and This Day, the reasons for the argument are diverse, but as the experts agreed, there is the possibility of accelerating the adoption of insurance policies by Nigerians with the use of digital ID technologies like those deployed by VerifyMe Nigeria.
Australia
Channel News Australia reports that Eftpos has put itself forward to become the first non-government accredited operator of a digital identity exchange in Australia, as it readies a role for itself to offer its connect-ID brokering system live in June.
The Australian-made electronic payments provider revealed new plans to accredit connect-ID under the trusted digital identity framework (TDIF) during a fintech inquiry hearing on Friday.
“I am pleased to let you know that yesterday we applied to the Digital Transformation Agency to become the first non-government accredited TDIF exchange in Australia,” CEO Stephen Benton said.
The TDIF is a series of policies and standards that underpin the Government’s national federated identity model, including the accreditation of government agencies and private sector organisations.
However only the government’s exchange, operated by Services Australia, is currently accredited under TDIF, while the Australian Taxation Office and Australia Post are the only accredited identity providers.
Eftpos has been piloting connect-ID, with both Australia Post’s Digital iD and the Queensland Government’s credential since mid-2020 following an earlier proof-of-concept with 20 businesses.