Digital Identity Newsletter, July 2019 (#05)
Digital Identity a Driver for Growth
European Governments and others are increasingly looking towards the development of digital identity systems amidst a recognition that they’re a necessary progression for the good of society and as a driver of growth.
According to the World Bank, 1 billion people are without a proof of identity — their governments having taken the prerogative not to provide them with one. And yet for the 6.6 billion people who have identity documents, those documents are outdated for today’s digital world. Digital identity is being recognized as a necessity given the way in which our societies are developing. But when we talk of digital identity, what is it exactly that we mean?
Find out more about digital identity at 150sec.
UN makes ‘declaration of digital interdependence’, with release of tech report
The declaration of digital independence by UN outlines the Panel’s belief that cooperation in the digital space is paramount, as individuals, institutions, corporations, and governments cannot manage digital developments alone, and that global aspirations and vulnerabilities are “deeply interconnected and interdependent”.
The new tech report claims that the digital future must be safer and more inclusive. The report also explores the ways that digital technology can help achieve the UN’s 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development; how digital tech relates to human rights and security; and models for digital cooperation between different parts of society.
Find out more about the UN’s declaration of digital interdependence at UN News.
Self-Sovereign Digital Identity: Blockchain and Conceptualizing Data Storage
The tech-driven future is to store data in self-sovereign digital identity solutions in a decentralized format. Smart firms being able to interrogate the data in real time are expected to become a reality in the coming years, and the provenance solutions will continue to evolve. Could blockchain be an answer to the digital future?
Find out more about self-sovereign digital identity at Insurance CIO Outlook.
#TechPage Feature: Advanced identification technologies are transforming border control in Africa
The annual ID4Africa Identity Week conference, sponsored by HID Global, took place at Emperors Palace from June 18 to 20. As part of the Pan African commitment to provide a broad range of biometric solutions and cloud-based ID issuance, companies, government representatives and innovators came together for the three day event.
HID Global hosted a discussion on how advanced identification technologies are transforming border control in Africa using Tanzania as an example. “Africa is one of the key emerging markets and there has been a digital transformation taking place in Africa. HID Global has been in the market for over 25 years with a core focus on identity management solutions and they have been working closely with the government of Tanzania implementing an e-Identity solution.
Find out more at IOL.
Infant biometrics in the spotlight at ID4Africa 2019
Among the highlights of the second day of ID4Africa 2019 in Johannesburg, South Africa, was a packed and at time contentious informational session presenting the findings of five experts in infant biometrics, moderated by Dr. Anil Jain. Jain laid out the need for infant biometrics, as well as the associated challenges before Engelsma presented his team’s findings on infant fingerprints. The MSU researchers have determined that the inter-ridge spacing is roughly four to five pixels in infants, compared to 9 or 10 for adults, so they have developed a device with a 1900 ppi sensor, the prism placed in front of the sensor to capture data from fingers in a grasping position, and uses a fusion of three matching algorithms, including one developed in-house for high-definition images.
This article was originally published on Biometric Update.
ID4Africa 2019: Disruption to consensus
The digital ID market in Africa is maturing rapidly. One of the most frequently occurring themes from the conference was that technology is no longer an issue for Africa — it’s political will and gaining the trust of citizens that count. ID systems are now sufficiently established across the continent that vendor lock-in is one of the biggest complaints. The event has increasingly global importance, and as delegates head home from Johannesburg, we look back over ID4Africa 2019 and ahead to Marrakesh for 2020.
Things to expect in Morocco June 2–4, 2020 include further progress in the forming and formalizing of pan-African bodies covering the sector, privacy, trust frameworks and greater input from the ICT sector, telcos, and civil society.
This article was originally published on Biometric Update.
