Researcher Emrys Schoemaker relays comments from discussion participants, covering why trust frameworks are increasingly being used for digital ID, but noting these frameworks remain risky.
“The level of confidence in the credential is mostly determined by the authority responsible for and processes involved in issuing the credential — state issued documents such as birth certificates or driving licences are generally trusted more than credentials issued by private sector actors such as Facebook or Google.”
Dialogue participants also noted challenges presented by transitioning from an analogue to a digital world, getting data governance right, and achieving inclusive digital identity ecosystems.
The politics of inclusion are also key, as system design — intentionally or otherwise — that fails to identify and address vulnerable and marginalized populations can lead to exclusion. As one guest said ‘if the government doesn’t want inclusivity out of a system, you won’t get inclusion’