Editorial

Digital Identity: Global Roundup

Digital identity news from around the world

Posted 22 March 2021 by Christine Horton


Seychelles

Internet of Things (IoT) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) firm WISeKey has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Government of Seychelles to develop a digital identity platform for the country.

The platform is expected to be integrated with different national initiatives especially the eGovernment and potentially eTourism and eHealth. Currently the government is seeking to implement new solutions to facilitate access to digital identity and new eGovernment services using smartphones and mobile applications.

The pilot project will be based on WISeKey’s WISeID platform for digital identity and online security.

France

The French government has launched digital identity cards equipped with QR codes and fingerprints. It also has an electronic chip that acts as an all-access key.

According to French Citizenship Minister Marlène Schiappa, “The identity card as you know it…will gradually be replaced by a new object, the one we have been able to discover, more practical, new, which has a format more suitable for the pocket or the wallet. It is also an object that is more protective of our rights, and more secure, which will take its place in our daily lives.”

It is reported that the QR code at the back of the ID cards makes it much more secure as it will prevent the production of counterfeits.

The old cards, which are 25 years old, will be replaced by new ones that will be rolled out from March 29.

Jamaica

Campaigners, including a coalition of 12 local and international organisations, are calling on authorities in Jamaica to ensure human rights are at the centre of a new digital ID bill. The coalition has outlined urgent recommendations on the inclusion of guiding human rights principles, processing of personal data, governance, and accessibility.

They highlight aspects of the bill they say are potentially dangerous for Jamaicans’ privacy and security and that create pathways to discrimination and exclusion. These include the collection of biometric data, a centralised interoperable database, lack of an independent authority, and the risk of the ID becoming a de facto mandatory document for accessing services.

Singapore

London-based identity and authentication solutions provider Callsign has named Singapore as its headquarters for the Asia Pacific region which will expand throughout 2021.

Callsign has chosen Singapore as the Asia Pacific headquarters due to the increase in demand for regulatory compliant authentication and fraud prevention solutions across South East Asia.

According to a recent report from PWC, 42% of companies surveyed in Singapore compared with 47% globally, experienced incidents of fraud and economic crime within the past 24 months.

Australia

Millions of Australians will soon be able to access digital government services online after proving their identity using face verification from iProov.

Following an open tender process, iProov was selected to provide a liveness solution for myGovID.

iProov says its Genuine Presence Assurance technology will enable Australians to set up their myGovID digital identity using a simple face scan on their mobile devices. This will provide access to a range of services, including managing tax returns, accessing health services and applying for benefits.

Unlike face recognition, which matches a physical face seen in a crowd to a list of images on a database, face verification is done with the knowledge and collaboration of the user.

iProov technology is also in use by the Singapore Government for its national digital identity platform SingPass.

Canada

The Canadian province of Ontario has completed a public consultation and will introduce optional digital IDs to the public in late 2021.

Digital IDs will be available for both individuals and businesses, with the individual versions valid for check-ins to virtual medical appointments, applications for birth, marriage, or death certificates, government benefits claims, as well as vaccination records and bank account opening. Businesses can use it to verify customer identities, as well as in hiring and financial and tax interactions.

Meanwhile, Bluink’s eID-Me has reached official availability in all 13 of Canada’s provinces and territories. The development of Bluink was supported by a $1.2 million loan from Ontario’s Ministry of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade, and digitizes government IDs with a biometric selfie and liveness check.

United States

Delaware’s DMV has begun offering mobile driver’s licenses (mDLs) with biometric technology from Idemia to the public for identity and age verification.

Licence holders can digitise their physical ID by going through a process including biometric selfie liveness checks, and the app is then secured with fingerprint or face biometrics for unlocking.

Meanwhile, New Orleans is prioritising a digital ID programme as part of its smart city initiative, hoping to connect vulnerable citizens with benefits programmes.

The city’s CIO is pushing for the smart city programme, which includes a digital identity project which is about to launch in partnership with Mastercard City Possible and the City of Los Angeles. The initiative will put access to benefits, payments, and city services including transportation, libraries and resource centres, on a single card.

Turks & Caicos

The new government of the Turks and Caicos says it will establish a digital identity platform and mandatory digital ID card to provide secure access to government services.

The plan is part of a broader government digitisation and modernisation agenda, and is intended to be used for fee payments, licence applications and school registrations, among other services.

Scotland

The Scottish government has updated its digitization strategy with a new digital identity service for interactions with the public sector, according to UKAuthority.

The national digital strategy was composed by the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA) in consultation with the public and private sectors and civil society. It also includes the establishment of a digital services hub.