UK public supports government plans for digital identity – survey

The UK public supports government plans to create the UK Digital Identity and Attributes Trust Framework (DIATF), according to new research.

A survey commissioned by identity verification checks provider Credas Technologies reports that 87 percent of the UK public believe the DIATF is a good idea, with 72 percent supporting verified digital IDs in order to improve safety and streamline the process.

The Credas survey shows that 84 percent of people worry about their safety when providing sensitive and personal information online. Almost a third (32 percent) say they’ve fallen foul of some form of online fraud, and just 34 percent are aware how many third party companies hold information about them.

While the implementation of GDPR laws aimed to improve data privacy and protect consumers, just seven percent of the UK public say they trust that third party companies are compliant with respect to GDPR rules and regulations.  At the same time, 80 percent also find it time consuming having to provide personal data to multiple third parties when it comes to their digital activity.

Alternative to physical ID

The DIATF will be a digital identity trust framework that can be used as an alternative to physical identification documents such as passports or bank statements. It will also provide an accreditation and certification process for organisations, allowing them to prove their adherence to the rules of the framework through a recognised government trustmark. Several firms, including Credas, have been named as certified digital identity service providers (IDSPs), under the DIATF.

“Being able to verify our identity is one area that has become vitally important for both consumer and service provider alike. For example, when we buy or sell a property, we will be required to verify our identity multiple times by a range of different stakeholders, whether it be the estate agent, solicitor and so on,” said Tim Barnett, CEO of Credas Technologies.

“For these professional bodies it helps safeguard against criminal activity, which in the vast majority of cases starts with identity fraud. However, it can be a laborious, time consuming process for those providing this information, as well as those still manually verifying it.

“The government’s DIATF framework will modernise this process no end, providing verified digital IDs that both the consumer and service provider can utilise quickly and efficiently.

Not only will it help streamline processes such as buying or selling a home, but the consumer can also rest assured that they aren’t opening themselves up to any level of threat when it comes to the provision of their personal information.”