Inclusion critical in development of digital identifiers, DPI: Kantara

A report published by Kantara Initiative, a U.S.-headquartered non-profit that advocates the trustworthy use of digital ID and personal data, advances that the development of Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) must prioritize inclusion by design and access by default.

The “Digital Identifier Inclusion” report, produced by the Resilient Identifiers for Underserved Populations (RIUP) Work Group, emphasizes the concept of digital identifier inclusion (DII) and DPI as tools that allow people to enjoy their human rights and privileges, especially in a world in which digital technology is closely associated with attaining the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

It describes DII as the way by which an eligible person can enjoy the benefits of digital identifiers in a secure and privacy-preserving manner in a digital ecosystem.

The report, published on October 1, discusses the harms, inefficiencies and extent of digital exclusion and how these can be avoided or mitigated. Potential causes of digital exclusion identified in the report include the lack of a new smartphone, disabilities and language barriers.

Given the undisputed importance of DPI, the report advises that inclusion is critical for its design, development, implementation, operation and maintenance.

“In any case where access to DPI and the related services is necessary for the use of human rights, it must include everyone with those rights and have inclusion by design and access by default,” the report summary notes.

Added to these are “trust and equity,” which the report believes are “key to have DPI leveraged to build a safe and inclusive society” while ensuring that “no rights or privileges are degraded or retrogressive measures adopted.”

“To uphold this, the proper actions needed to build a safe and inclusive society should be embedded across all stages of the DPI life cycle, and integrated into all associated legal and regulatory frameworks and governance mechanisms,” it mentions.

The report argues a strong case for ensuring digital identifier inclusion and using inclusive DPI as a stepping stone to make this happen.

“Where do people go to if they cannot get the digital technology to accept their identifier?” the report questions rhetorically, citing some examples of how people suffer various difficulties in having their identity verified, either because they don’t have a mobile device which can securely hold credentials needed for authentication or the enabling conditions for this to work are absent.

The report also highlights the importance of digital identifier inclusion for persons living with disabilities as well as the need for having robust personal data protection protocols. “It is important that scenarios where digital identification is required, support every eligible person to which it applies, regardless of their digital capacity and competence.”

“In creating resilient and inclusive digital identifier ecosystems, particular attention must be paid to the privacy and duty of care for all subjects, especially those under the guardianship or care of others.”

The report concludes with a suggestion that for all humans to be present and interact within the digital ecosystem, it is unavoidable to have standards and laws for applications that will be able to accommodate these humans and enable them access their rights in that ecosystem.

Thus, the document reiterates the fact that “whatever rights and privileges might be expressed in digital formats, must be available to all people who are eligible in those digital formats, if they are to be considered as viable replacements for the pre-digital systems deployed today.”

As part of its work on trustworthy and inclusive digital ID and personal data management, the Kantara Initiative also issues certification for trusted identity assurance. Recently, it did so for the U.S. General Services Administration’s Login.gov single-sign on service for compliance to the federal government’s standard for high assurance identity proofing.

Article Topics

data privacy  |  digital identifier inclusion  |  digital identity  |  digital inclusion  |  digital public infrastructure  |  Kantara  |  SDG 16.9