Government urged to make a plan for digital ID

The UK needs to move now on a clear, long-term plan for digital ID, according to the Open Identity Exchange (OIX).

In a letter to the Secretary of State Peter Kyle MP, non-profit OIX outlined three key areas within the UK Digital Identity and Attributes Trust Framework (DIATF) that must be accelerated in order for the UK to achieve a leading position on digital trust:

1. Evolve the DIATF to include a digital wallet strategy for the UK given rapid and emerging worldwide use
2. Provide a clear position on how digital ID will work across the public and private sectors such that government should not compete with the private sector
3. Lead on cross-border interoperability to demonstrate to the world that the UK is at the forefront of technological advancement

“Digital ID can unlock significant value for individuals, businesses and the UK economy,” said Gareth Narinesingh, identity development director at OIX. “Over time, it will become the core component of a critical global digital infrastructure. If the UK wants to enhance its global influence, attract international partnerships and foster trade relations, it needs a clear, long-term plan for digital ID. While the UK DIATF is a solid start, it needs to evolve, and quickly.”

OIX: One Login should be kept to public services

Elsewhere in the letter, Narinesingh said that the One Login for Government single sign on should not be made available as a digital ID for access to private sector services.

“Government should not compete with the private sector market of digital wallet providers that it is looking to enable. A clearly stated position on this will mean investment decisions on digital ID for the private sector can be made with confidence, resulting in a vibrant and innovative private sector market for digital ID,” he said.

Narinesingh urged the government to permit a Gov.UK One Login (that has achieved a certain level of confidence) to be used as identity evidence for creating private sector digital IDs under the DIATF.

“This will aid inclusion by enabling users who have already attained trust through the process of accessing government services, to share this trust with a private sector digital ID provider of their choice. The UK guidance for ID proofing (GPG45) already allows EU member state electronic IDs to be used as ID evidence, so the guidance should be extended to include UK government electronic IDs (i.e. Gov.UK One Login) as well.”

He also called for access to government services via suitably DIATF-certified private sector digital IDs, allowing citizens to choose a non-government ID provider if they wish to do so. Additionally, there should be access to government data for the purposes of identity proofing and eligibility, as would have been enabled through the Digital Verification Services section of the Data Protection and Digital Information Bill.

“Focus on data sets that will improve inclusion in the digital ID ecosystem and that will prove eligibility for services, such as proof of income,” he said.