What does the future of digital identity look like? That was the question asked at the recent Think Digital Identity and Cybersecurity for Government event in London.
Jeb Cordery, head of business analysis for the digital identity program at the Government Digital Service (GDS) was joined by Paul Sandelands, head of AML/financial crime at Experian to discuss, among other things, the difficulties of inclusive identity verification, and the need for greater collaboration between government and industry.
“Fundamentally, a lot of this is about helping businesses and people make friends and play nicely together,” said Sandelands, highlighting his experience in supporting the development of the UK’s anti-money laundering trust framework.
Both acknowledged the complexities involved in ensuring inclusive identity verification, particularly for individuals with limited access to traditional forms of identification. As Cordery noted, “There is absolutely no one size fits all” when it comes to identity solutions.
A need for a collaborative approach between public and private sectors
The discussion also touched on the challenges of data sharing and the need for a collaborative approach between the public and private sectors.
Sandelands shared his experience with data sharing consortiums in the early 2000s, emphasising the significant impact they had on fraud prevention. However, he also noted the difficulties the public sector has faced in adopting similar technologies.
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“The banks have now prevented billions of pounds in full of financial crime. So the capability has always been there, but it hasn’t necessarily been adopted by public sector. The benefits of it are huge.”
But the speed at which the public sector moves is a problem, added Sandelands. “Something has to give. Something has to change,” he said.
Sandelands also highlighted the plight of trafficking victims, who may appear to be fraudsters in the data, so there needs to be a broader approach to identity that considers an individual’s context and multiple personas.
Addressing the issue of public trust, Cordery acknowledged the “healthy tension” between data protection and the need for effective identity verification. He suggested that storing limited data could facilitate easier identity verification for users who may struggle with traditional processes, while still maintaining a high level of security.
The discussion concluded with a call for continued collaboration between the public and private sectors to address the complex challenges of identity.
