Australia
Australia’s digital and data ministers have agreed to “actively explore” a national digital identity system, stepping up the language of previous commitments.
The federal government has poured $450 million into its digital identity system but has missed its own deadlines for introducing legislation to expand it to states, territories and the private sector, reports InnovationAus.com.
The system was discussed by ministers from the Commonwealth and six of the states and territories, who also agreed to improve national data collection, reporting and sharing.
According to a communiqué released after the latest “extraordinary” meeting on Friday, the ministers are now “actively exploring” the national system.
“Ministers agreed to actively explore adopting a national digital identity ecosystem. All governments are working closely to turn this commitment into tangible benefits for all Australians,” it said.
Europe / Asia
Unstoppable Domains, the platform for “user-controlled” digital identity on Web3 with two million registered NFT domains, recently announced two key hires to lead the firm’s global expansion efforts in Europe and Asia.
Sajjad Rehman joins Unstoppable Domains as its new head of Europe, leaving his role as Amazon’s Twitch VP of business development EMEA. Nilkanth Iyer, who previously held roles at CAST and IBM, joins the company as head of Asia.
Zimbabwe
The issuance of new generation biometric passports has started in some provinces of Zimbabwe and there are plans to extend the production infrastructure to all ten provinces of the country by June this year, Zim Live reports.
The outlet cites the country’s Home Affairs Minister Kazembe Kazembe, who has also announced that a mobile campaign to enroll citizens for digital ID cards and birth certificates has been scheduled to begin from next month.
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka and India have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on the implementation of the Sri Lanka Unique Digital Identity (SL-UDI) programme with the Government of India’s Grant Assistance.
The digital ID project is one of six areas that will benefit from India’s financial and material intervention.
United Kingdom
The UK gambling industry has “universally welcomed” digital identification to protect problem and at-risk players, according to age verification and digital ID firm 1account.
Based on a consultation conducted by the company, which also provides know-your-customer (KYC) and anti-money laundering (AML) services, 100 percent of stakeholders involved believed that linking players’ different betting accounts would be beneficial for all gamblers.
The company cited Gambling Commission research which showed that British online gamblers have, on average, three betting accounts.
Respondents, according to 1account, felt that digital ID connecting multiple accounts would deliver “invaluable insights” regarding players’ behaviour, providing additional KYC benefits.
Argentina
Buenos Aires, Argentina, has begun work on a blockchain-based digital identity platform with the aim of giving the city’s residents control over their personal data.
The city on Tuesday published a whitepaper with the proposal for the platform, which will be operational between the last quarter of 2022 and the first quarter of next year, Diego Fernández, secretary of innovation and digital transformation of Buenos Aires, told CoinDesk.
The platform will be decentralized, public and non-permissioned, said Fernandez, adding that it will be available for use by any organization, government administration or company wishing to mint verifiable identities, without needing the approval of the city.
“[The motivation is] to give rise to a new paradigm in which secure transactions are agile; where verification of necessary documentation is fast, reliable and private … that people are in control of their identity, and they decide where their information is stored and who can access it,” the whitepaper stated.
In the next 90 days, the city will define the architecture of the platform and decide what blockchain it will be built on. After that, Fernández said, it will take about six months to develop the platform.
France
IN Groupe and CEA have launched their research partnership on technologies related to the future of digital identity and border control, reports Biometric Update.
More specifically, the two entities will explore decentralized ID and interoperable blockchain applications “in the context of ongoing European reflections on digital identity.” Also, biometric anti-spoofing solutions and RAE (Risk Analysis Management) for border crossing.
“Anticipating and preparing for breakthrough technologies in the field of identity means ensuring, today and tomorrow, the protection of the identity of French people,” comments IN Groupe CEO Didier Trutt. “This requirement is at the heart of the mission that IN Groupe carries out every day on behalf of the State.”
The company was tasked with collaborating on France’s digital ID ecosystem last January when it also won a contract to supply biometric passports to Seychelles.
Scotland
Avoco Secure has announced the start of work on Scotland’s new digital ID infrastructure.
According to the company, the upcoming system will comprise four main core components, including a single sign-on (SSO) solution, and give users the ability to prove their identity digitally to access online services.
The system will also offer a “save and reuse” feature that will give users the option to save checked personal information securely in a digital locker to reuse when applying for other services in the future. The feature will additionally support other verified sources of information (attributes) from other public services.
“We are making great progress with our digital identity service,” says the Scottish Government’s Digital Identity Programme Director Trudy Nicolson.
“The attribute locker will make it easier for people to apply for public services and access benefits they are entitled to by putting them in control of their data, how they share it, and how it is used,” the executive adds.
Australia
The Queensland Government has published a post confirming a contract to deliver the Digital License App to Queenslanders has been signed.
In the article, Transport and Main Roads Minister Mark Bailey said Thales Australia & New Zealand would finalise the development and delivery of the app, which should be officially released next year.
Bailey also confirmed the Digital Licence App would comply with an international standard, which will allow Queenslanders to be able to use it around Australia as well as overseas.
“This solution is an Australia-first, meeting the International Mobile Driver Licence Standard ISO 18013-5, which was published last year,” wrote Thales Australia & New Zealand CEO Chris Jenkins.
“This will allow the state’s digital driver licenses to be recognised and used all over the world.”
