Yoti hopes forthcoming DISD bill retains DVS, tightens rules for digital ID providers

UK digital identity verification firm Yoti has posted suggestions for the Digital Information and Smart Data Bill (DISD) and for setting up a regulatory framework for digital identities in the UK.

“The specific contents of this Bill are still undisclosed, and so it is unknown at this stage if it will take a different approach to its predecessor,” says a post on Yoti’s blog. Generally, however, Yoti “would like to see most of the provisions of the Data Protection and Digital Information Bill (DPDI) return. We are particularly supportive of the Digital Verification Service (DVS).”

Digital identities, says the blog, offer “the same confidence as paper documents in an ever-growing range of situations.” As such it makes sense that the government has shown support for “the creation and adoption of secure and trusted digital identity products and services from certified providers to help with things like moving house, pre-employment checks, and buying age-restricted goods and services”. Beyond that, the sky’s the limit. “Use cases could span retail, education, travel, utilities, health, gambling, insurance, pensions and more.”

Digital ID office should be independent regulator freed of DSIT

Specific suggestions from Yoti push for engagement across government agencies and the development of a clear roadmap for the Office for Digital Identity & Attributes (Ofdia) and other government departments to “allow people to use their digital identity across different sectors and use cases.” It wants Ofida to be set up as an independent regulatory body which oversees the digital identity industry, rather than as an entity within the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT).

Yoti suggests the new DSID bill “tighten up the requirements for digital identity providers, set a high standard of fraud protection and data privacy, and introduce new use cases to further digital identity adoption in the UK.” Part of that is a clear distinction between the rules providers must follow to be certified to the DVS and included on a new DV registry, and more general uses. The register will include a searchable list of all certified providers and allow users to check a provider’s certificate before choosing the steward of their trusted digital ID.

It likes the new Holder Service Provider designation, which “will clarify how the role of a digital identity wallet or personal data store (PDS) can interact and be certified within the Trust Framework.”

Another key point is choice – meaning digital IDs should be and will remain voluntary. “We do not believe any digital identity should be compulsory,” says Yoti. “It is important that people can choose to use a digital identity, with non-digital options offered alongside these.”

“Digital ID is predicted to contribute £800 million annually to the UK economy, and the development of a strong digital identity ecosystem could see UK businesses secure a share of a global market projected to be worth $40.44 billion by 2027,” says Yoti. Yet, “as Parliament returns, the government is likely to push through several bills simultaneously, making it difficult for businesses to stay informed and respond effectively.”

Unclear if govt will let citizens use reusable digital IDs from private sector

On the UKTN podcast, Yoti CEO Robin Tombs makes the case for biometric age estimation and other digital ID verification methods, and offers further comment on the role of government in establishing a trusted digital ID ecosystem. He says the government wants to see more digital verification, and that people want digital IDs that are reusable. However, he says, “at the moment it’s a little unclear if the government will allow government-certified reusable IDs created in the private sector to be able to be used by citizens who choose to use them.”

Article Topics

biometrics  |  Data Protection and Digital Information Bill (DPDI)  |  digital ID  |  Digital Information and Smart Data Bill (DISD)  |  legislation  |  OfDIA  |  reusable identity  |  Yoti