The Demand for a Highly Trusted Digital Identification System

Identification for Development Principles

— According to the Worldbank Identification for development scheme. A global effort is set in place to develop a set of shared Principles that are fundamental to maximizing the benefits of identification systems. In order to achieve sustainable development goals (SDG) come 2030.

The ten-rule principle is centered around a robust and responsive solution with the ability to appeal to a wide variety of Users. One that can protect User rights while covering a universal outreach. These rules are slated with the mindset of creating a secure, inclusive as well as a trustworthy identification system. Specifically to enhance and empower individuals towards their access to rights, services, and formal economy. 

As technology continues to enjoy more mainstream adoption, the development benefit increases exponentially. With respect to the successful development of a fully secured identification system. These principles would be subject to future amendments as lessons emerge from implementation. Having that, the confederation has agreed to incorporate new ideas into these principles. Thereby establishing global cooperation to provide legal identity for all.

What is a Digital Identification System?

In modern-day terms, Digital identity refers to a set of attributes that uniquely identifies an online entity. This entity/agent has been an individual, business, application or a device. That generates such sensitive data including but not limited to personal details, online search activities, business meta-data, social security and transaction records.

Similarly, Jonathan Donner describes Digital identification as;

“The recording of certain attributes — biodata, biometrics, claims — in a formal record, a “credential,” that grants specific rights or permissions to the individual. Identification is a concept we care about because it is that process that grants access and rights.”

Just the same, Wikipedia verifies this definition, adding that;

“The information contained in a digital identity allows for assessment and authentication of a user interacting with a business system on the web, without the involvement of human operators. Digital identities allow our access to computers and the services they provide to be automated, and make it possible for computers to mediate relationships.” 

Hence increasing the events of a third-party hack!!!

The Worldbank Initiative 

Worldbank currently fosters this ‘Principle of Identification’ by means of a consortium comprising of a handful of diverse organizations. Through a regulatory framework, this ‘Principles of Identification’ initiative underway, proffers a method for entities to not only prove their identity. But also protects these end-users against data pilfering while interacting with the world wide web. By creating a unique ID for each individual, it becomes easy to track their participation in societal and economic development. While granting these entities the ability to exercise the range of human rights set out in international laws and conventions. 

The major driving force behind the Worldbank initiative is target 16:9 of the UN’s SDG. This principles explicitly specifies the need to grow, verifying this in its opening statements as follows;

“Universal call to action to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure that all people enjoy peace and prosperity.”

Other occurrences as the Cloudflare Outage that could have put in jeopardy, billions of Customer records. Highlights the need for a highly secured identification system. Because, just as building a standardized identification system —particularly digital ones— creates opportunities to further development goals, it’s also fraught with new risks and challenges.