The #WhyID open letter has been sent to the leaders of international development banks, the United Nations, international aid organisations, funding agencies, and national governments
"We urge that some basic questions on the objectives, need, and benefits of these digital identity programmes must be answered before pursuing the what, the how, the when, and the who of digital identity. We write to raise our voice and ask this very first basic question — Why ID?"
The letter highlights the risks of digital identity programmes being implemented without sufficient exploration of consequences – positive and negative – on affected populations.
Each identity programme has an inherent requirement of trust from the user. Trust can only be built on the foundation of transparency and accountability. Trust can only be built when systems are designed to promote, empower, and protect the rights of citizens across the world. And that is exactly what the main objective of all policymakers should be