Complex activation, few uses hold back digital ID adoption in Germany: research

Only 35 percent of adult Germans have activated their electronic identity, despite the country offering eID functionality since 2010, according to a new study published this week.

Research data collected by the Munich-based Max Planck Institute for Innovation and Competition also shows that 6 percent of the population is unaware that the eID functionality exists.

“Fifteen years after the first eID-eligible identity cards, it becomes apparent that the usage rates of the electronic identity card fall short of expectations,” says the study, published in the Der Wirtschaftsdienst journal.

The lowest rate of eID activation was recorded among women and older people. In contrast, the highest activation rates were found among men, younger people, city dwellers, people with a high school diploma, Germans with a migration background and foreign citizens.

The highest proportion of activation was found in the federal state of Berlin, while the lowest was found in Germany’s smallest state, Saarland. The survey was conducted with the help of market research company GfK and covered more than 2,000 German-speaking residents.

The research recommends that the government adopt a targeted approach for population groups with a low activation rate. But making eID more attractive to women and older people will not be enough to kickstart the use of Germany’s eID.

The eID has become known for its lack of user-friendliness and the cumbersome process involved in applying for it, which includes a visit to a state office. The system is also suffering from a lack of use cases: Usage rates of other digital services in Germany have remained low at 50 percent.

Germany’s federal government announced plans to introduce a state digital identity wallet as part of the EUDI Wallet scheme last year. The project is being implemented by several agencies, including the Federal Agency for Disruptive Innovation (SPRIND), which launched a prototype competition for designing an EUDI wallet for German users.

Earlier this year, the country’s new coalition government pledged to continue digitizing public services and provide a digital identity to each citizen. This includes establishing a new Ministry of Digital and State Modernization.

Article Topics

digital ID  |  digital identity  |  digital wallets  |  e-ID  |  Germany  |  user experience