Editorial

Brits ‘indifferent’ to common digital identity

While the UK government consultation on the common digital identity concluded in September 2021 with an updated framework, only 15 percent of Brits feel well informed on it

Posted 11 November 2021 by Christine Horton


Two-thirds of Brits feel indifferent about a common digital identity.

Research released this week shows only 17 percent say they are very much in favour of it. Thirty-four percent said they are cautiously in favour and 31 percent were sceptical about it.

At the other end of the scale, six percent stated they are very much against a common digital identity.

The study comes from research conducted by RegTech Associates on behalf of SaaS RegTech provider, PassFort.

While the UK government consultation on the common digital identity concluded in September 2021 with an updated framework, only 15 percent of Brits feel well informed on it.

In contrast, 52 percent of respondents said they were either not well informed or knew nothing about the issues surrounding it. Younger respondents are the best informed when it comes to the debate around digital identity though – 36 percent regard themselves as “well informed” vs. only one percent of over-65s.

The intention of the framework is to provide clear standards to protect against digital identity fraud and remove legislative and regulatory barriers from the use of secure digital identities. However, 19 percent of over-65s claimed they “know nothing” about the debate in comparison to only five percent of 18-24s.

Thumbs up for biometrics

“Currently, in banking we see seven in 10 people using a unique ID and password for identification. Some 67 percent use a security question. While these methods have worked well in the past, there are limitations to the security these techniques provide. Biometrics, or a digital identity, provide a higher level of security. Interestingly, 21 percent of people we surveyed have used biometrics. And of those who have, 80 percent said the experience was ‘great’,” said Donald Gillies, CEO PassFort.

A stable 27-37 percent of respondents of all ages claim to know something of the UK digital identity debate, indicating some level of generalised understanding about the issues. With the exception of some minor variations (e.g., a spike in 35-44 year olds who “don’t know” or prefer not to share their views), there are no strong correlations between age and attitude towards a common UK digital identity.

Similarly, with fewer than one quarter (23 percent) of respondents stating a strong view on the topic, there is some way to go before the debate is settled.

“Given the obvious benefits of a common digital identity in fighting fraud, financial institutions have a vested interest in helping to explain these issues to their customers”, said Rob Stubbs, head of research at RegTech Associates.

“Not only could this help to stem the rising tide of financial crime in the UK but, in conjunction with the latest developments in biometrics, it can also help to deliver better, faster and more reliable compliance checks for consumers, which is in everyone’s interest.”