UK Government calls for input on digital identity

The UK Government through the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport has opened consultations on digital identity. In a call for evidence, the department is seeking to explore four questions namely: the need and problems with digital identity; criteria for trust; the role of government; and the role of the private sector. 

Outlining the problems people face while trying to identify themselves using paper documentation, the consultation seeks to find if digital ID is a panacea and if not, what other options exist. Other questions include the role of players in the digital identity field in building trust and how these players should be governed.

A pilot scheme on digital verification using British passport data will be launched in partnership with companies who currently provide digital identity services to Government. It will help people speed up their applications for private services such as credit card application by allowing organisations to digitally check their identity using British passport data. The pilot does not envisage a centralised identity database. Instead every individual will have control of their personal data. This way, individuals can reuse previous identities in future.