Digital identity encompasses various aspects of an individual's identity that are presented and verified through the internet.

There's a substantial push for digital identification, with proponents highlighting potential benefits such as streamlined identity verification, faster access to government services, and increased inclusiveness. However, digital identity systems raise concerns about privacy and equity. While specifications for digital identification often recommend data minimization and privacy protections, these recommendations are not mandatory. We cannot base our civil liberties and freedoms on platitudes and promises. We question if digital ID schemes even need to be built in many cases that they are presented as a solution, such as increased accessibility to government services. We implore governments who are expediting digital IDs to do the same instead of creating a strong tide for digital IDs where it may not be needed.

Considerations for Planning Digital IDs

Governments should first lay out protections for citizens against any new digital ID system. Especially in situations with law enforcement and data sharing from private businesses. The collection and potential misuse of personal data by issuers and verifiers (issuer-verifer collusion) during digital identity transactions is a key concern.

Any digital ID system must have:
  • Data minimization
  • Transparency of creation, use, data retention
  • User control over data sharing and scope of digital credentials
  • Optional use of digital credentials
  • A right to paper/physical documents over digital ones
  • Adequate and accessible backup for when digital ID fails

Any digital identity system must not introduce new harms at minimum and strive to promote equity. The potential for digital identification to exacerbate existing social inequalities, particularly for marginalized communities, is also significant concern.

Addressing Harms. Any digital identity system must not introduce new harms at minimum and strive to promote equity. The potential for digital identification to exacerbate existing social inequalities, particularly for marginalized communities, is a significant challenge that should be addressed in assessment and with public consensus.

Mandatory National Databases and Biometrics. While tied to mandatory national databases and biometrics, not every implementation of digital credentials is storing biometrics for citizens to access these digital credentials in a monolithic and centralized database. However, no matter how much data minimization is involved we still strongly oppose any national ID scheme. No matter how decentralized it may purport to be or cryptographically strong. Any identification issued by the government with a centralized database is a power imbalance that can only be enhanced with digital ID.

Dangers of Long-Term Credentials. The more frequent long-term credentials such as mobile driver's licenses or other sensitive identification the greater the risk of that information leaking either though transit or being exploited by the verifier themselves. There have been efforts to utilize schemes and features such as