Transformation and Evolution: Global Perspectives on Digital Identity in the Public Sector
Digital ID provides reliable authentication and enables the delivery of a variety of services through web or mobile applications that require proof of identity. Coupled with mobile technology to the web, and secured with Blockchain, a digital identification system is the most reliable and versatile option for citizen identification.One of the most important roles of any government in caring for the public interest is to position itself as a trustworthy institution . According to the participants of the Identity Conference in the years 2018 and 2019, “… improving the protection of digital identity is as important as ensuring that everyone has one.” [1] By having forms access to information (biometric or double authentication), digital identity is also the safest identification for citizens in any country: for citizenship, managing health, organizing children's education, taking out a loan (or investing savings), making a will, signing a rental agreement or exercising civil rights are important acts of responsibility that can be managed in the digital space. However, most of these processes are still carried out in person, which is more difficult and dangerous in the pandemic situation we live in. In my experience during the past year (2020), I needed to carry out some procedures, those That they were not necessary, I simply did not do them, only those that I could not postpone, I moved to the corresponding office, however the people who attended were also limited so the execution time could be very long.
At the same time, these outdated systems and face-to-face processes that are the norm in most governments today are costly. So naturally one of the most important benefits for governments is cost reduction. An analysis by McKinsey Global Institute [3] showed that the greatest benefits of a digital ID system include time savings, cost savings, and reduced fraud. By establishing a digital ID system, both governments and citizens can feel confident that their procedures are being handled in the safest and most efficient way possible. Citizens can use online platforms to carry out government procedures from applying for grants and scholarships to signing documents electronically. By including financial institutions, paying taxes and receiving benefits become faster. For businesses, digital identity improves customer service while protecting contractual commitments. The benefits are for consumers and also for businesses. Starting with the innovation and novelty offered by these new technologies, companies by adopting it have a great advantage over their competitors. For the consumer, greater efficiency, greater security, less time per transaction and greater ease of adoption are just some of the advantages of digital identification infrastructure.
Without a doubt, digital identity is much more than just a convenience or a novelty. The transformative power of digital IDs has been proven in many countries, both developed and emerging. The Nordic countries have had great success in the implementation of electronic identification systems. Sweden, Norway, Finland and Denmark have overcome the hurdles of creating electronic identification solutions at the national level, providing more than 70 percent of their population with a digital identity. The authorities did not achieve it alone, the main banks, in collaboration with society in general, were decisive for an effective implementation. [2] Closer to home, the benefits of digital identification have caught the attention of the Mexican government, which is currently in the process of implementing a national identification based on biometrics, the CUID (Unique Digital Identity Card). part of the initiative for the General Law of Identity and Digital Citizenship, it must contain personal data such as the Unique Population Registry Code (CURP); name and surname; date and federal entity of birth; nationality, as well as biometric information. In the same way, the ID may include the professional ID, passport, military card, social security information and others that the regulations consider. [4]
In an increasingly connected and digitized world, digital identification is at the center of multiple transformative processes. The potential of digital identifications to generate value by ensuring transparency, security and efficiency in commercial, legal and public services procedures generate great expectations for their continued adoption around the world.
- https://www.thalesgroup.com/en/markets/digital-identity-and-security/government/inspired/digital-dividends
- https://www.itu.int/en/ITU-D/ICT-Applications/Documents/Guides/ITU_eID4D_DIGITAL%20IDENTITY_ROAD_MAP_GUIDE_FINAL_Under%20Review_Until-05-10-2018.pdf
- https://www.mckinsey.com/~/media/McKinsey/Business%20Functions/McKinsey%20Digital/Our%20Insights/Digital%20identification%20A%20key%20to%20inclusive%20growth/MGI-Digital-identification-Report.ashx
- https://www.gob.mx/cms/uploads/attachment/file/589836/MPPIyGSV.pdf
