The UN body, ICAO, has proposed introducing a new “Digital Travel Credential” that would shake-up the travel rulebook going back 50 years. The travel sector could be nearing the end of its co-dependency on passports for security in 3 years, reports state. 

They envision a totally simplified travel procedure mobilised through the DTC, which becomes a digital version of the travel document, allowing passengers to upload and verify their passport information on their mobile phones.

Currently, the presence of facial recognition systems at security lanes can match the traveller to their passport and digital record. The technology will need to be upgraded to scan a passenger’s data stored in a mobile device against their face. 

The key feature of the ICAO DTC is that “authorities can verify a digital representation of the passport data before the traveller’s arrival and confirm the data’s integrity and authenticity”, stated in the ‘High Level Guidance: Explaining The ICAO Digital Travel Credentials’ paper, in June 2024.

The ICAO initiative will upend some routine procedures like checking-in to get your boarding pass. Passengers will download a “journey pass” instead when booking their flights, which will automatically update their information. Facial scans will be conducted at bag drop-off points for passengers with hold luggage or at pre-boarding gates for those with hand luggage, and airlines will only be alerted that passengers can fly once these procedures are followed at the airport. 

Several digital travel credential projects are ongoing carrying out testing for distinct scenarios via Type 1, 2 or 3 of the Travel Credential. Although the DTC-1 pilot is going smoothly and is viable, DTC Types 2 and 3 – which will not require a physical book – may not be ready for some time. 

Becoming available as of 2030, the European Commission will also deliver an application based around their proposed framework for Digital Travel Credentials and the pilot programme conducted by KLM Airlines at the Commission’s request. The pilot of DTC-1 in the Netherlands streamlined faster boarding and border crossing at Schiphol Airport.

Additionally, Thales has been piloting the first Digital Travel Credential Type 2 with the ODYSSEUS project. 

There are criteria for a Digital Travel Credential needed across different scenarios to create the efficiencies for the aviation industry and border management, which will likely delay ICAO’s DTC. Finland’s initial ICAO pilot expedited border processing times in less than 8 seconds in comparison with the 25 second processing time of automated border kiosks. 

Many travel procedures and systems installed have not changed in 50 years, according to an Executive at Amadeus. 

The post ICAO DTC could change travel rulebook, but DTC Types 2 and 3 eliminating passports not here yet first appeared on Identity Week.

Denmark has awarded a contract to IT company Nine, a subsidiary of Trifork Group, to develop a national EU digital identity. Signalling an ambitious timeline to launch the wallet, the contract signed is worth a total value of DKK 29 million for phase 1 which will begin in April 2025 and go live in Q1 2026. The wallet may not be totally compliant with the eIDAS 2.0 requirements now, and the infrastructure will continually be reviewed two years after the build. The project is awarded through the SKI framework agreement. 

The wallet will offer Danish citizens access to secure and user-friendly age verification and a digital ID credential to use online or offline without compromising on sharing personal information. 

In later phases, the functionality of the wallet will be expanded to compete with other EU member state wallets, integrating a wider range of digital credentials and ensuring interoperability on privacy standards. 

In the long term, many public authorities are expected to use the wallet to issue digital credentials.

The post Denmark selects contractor to build EUDI Wallet first appeared on Identity Week.

The Queensland Government has officially transitioned from the QGov identity system to a new, more advanced platform known as the Queensland Digital Identity (QDI).

As of the changeover, all users who previously accessed Queensland Government online services via a QGov account will now be required to use a QDI. The new system is designed to meet the highest national standards in digital identity management, incorporating cutting-edge security protocols and industry best practices.

“The QDI is a modern, robust and innovative solution that safeguards personal data while providing a seamless user experience,” the government website said.

Depending on a user’s prior setup, some QGov accounts may have been automatically converted into a QDI. However, when accessing services for the first time post-transition, individuals may be prompted to re-verify their identity using official government-issued credentials, such as a driver licence or passport. This step is part of a broader effort to secure each digital identity and ensure it meets service-specific access requirements.

The transition process has placed a strong emphasis on data privacy and information protection. Notably, any credentials used to verify QGov accounts in the past were not stored in the old system. Under the new framework, only the minimum required personal data is retained, in full compliance with national privacy standards.

For users who already created a QDI via the Digital Licence App, their credentials may already be linked. In these cases, they may encounter a message indicating that their identification documents have already been used – a sign that their QDI is already active.

In some scenarios, users may be asked to re-verify personal documents to maintain consistency and integrity across all digital identities. This is a safeguard to ensure every Queenslander’s digital identity is properly authenticated and secure.

The post Queensland Government transitions to new digital identity system first appeared on Identity Week.

The decentralised web needs action to establish verification tools for users and crypto services like the traditional web.

A strategic partnership aims to establish trust and accountability across the decentralized web, with Humanity Protocol announcing it will work with Kaito to launch “Yapper Credentials,” a new system for verifiable identity and contributor recognition within the crypto community.

 Web 3.0 is an evolution of the internet’s no bounds, sparking the next generation of digital services and phenomenons like cryptocurrency. 

Humanity Protocol is known for its privacy-first, Proof-of-Humanity blockchain technology and is teaming up with Kaito, an AI-powered Web3 information platform, to provide users with digital credentials to tackle the persistent challenges of establishing real, verifiable identity while preserving user privacy.

Kaito will act as the official verification provider on the Humanity Protocol network using its proprietary algorithm to classify users into three categories: Members of the Crypto Twitter community, rising contributors or general users who sign up and connect their X (Twitter) accounts.

Participants who connect to Humanity Protocol’s testnet will automatically receive Yapper Credentials upon launch. Inner CT and Emerging CT members will also receive bonus allocations in future airdrops—50% and 25% respectively—encouraging broader participation in decentralized identity efforts.

A standout feature of the initiative is its cross-chain interoperability. Yapper Credentials follow decentralized identity standards, enabling users to carry verified status across various blockchain platforms, including DAOs, governance portals, and other decentralized apps.

By providing cryptographic proof of social participation, the system enhances sybil resistance—a key challenge in blockchain environments—while rewarding legitimate community engagement. The goal: a more human-centric and trustworthy internet without sacrificing privacy.

“Yapper Credentials provide a meaningful way to recognize authentic contributions and translate social capital into verifiable, on-chain identity,” said Terence Kwok, Founder of Humanity Protocol. “This is a major step toward a more secure, inclusive, and reputation-aware Web3.”

Yu Hu, Founder of Kaito, echoed the sentiment, saying the collaboration will allow users to “leverage their credentials in multiple applications while preserving privacy and security,” ultimately putting individuals in control of their identity and reputation online.

The partnership represents a growing movement within Web3 to tie decentralized identity to meaningful, verified human activity—paving the way for more trustworthy digital interactions across the blockchain ecosystem.

The post Humanity Protocol and Kaito Partner to launch ‘Yapper Credentials’ for verifiable Web3 identity first appeared on Identity Week.

An Interview with Kabir Maiga and Zachary Klares about the NFID Foundation

What is the core idea behind NFID, and why is it significant?

By the end of 2025, it’s expected that around 80 million Europeans will have digital IDs based on new global standards, with identity wallets containing verifiable digital identities. In the U.S., 17 states are moving toward similar standards. This creates a substantial opportunity in the access control industry, where identity is foundational.

Currently, access control is account-based, using personal data to create accounts rather than verifiable identities. Equipping 80 million people equipped with verifiable digital credentials opens up endless possibilities. Users could prove their identity to service providers in various scenarios—whether checking into a hotel, interacting with a law enforcement officer, or verifying age at a bar.

NFID can enable remote management of access to both physical and digital spaces, ensuring accuracy and reliability in identity verification and access rights.

Why was the NFID Foundation established? Couldn’t this be just an open technology?

Interoperability is a key reason for the NFID Foundation’s existence. For decentralized ID to work across states, countries, and products, it must be universal. Companies within the foundation collaborate on standards, ensuring that the technology is interoperable and universally applicable. This joint development fosters industry-wide adoption.

Additionally, security requires a foundational layer of trust for systems to recognize and validate credentials. The NFID Foundation builds this trust ecosystem, offering a space for members to influence design and governance.

The foundation also serves an educational role, keeping the industry informed on new trends and standards. When a new standard is widely adopted, millions of users join almost immediately. Industry players unprepared for this shift would have a lot of ground to cover, and the NFID Foundation helps ensure everyone is ready.

Is NFID technology only relevant for use cases like physical access control?

While NFID is primarily focused on physical access control, its applications extend to the digital world. NFID aims to make identity verification easy not only online but also in embedded devices. Many existing standards focus on web-based implementations, neglecting devices with limited computational power, such as embedded systems. The NFID Foundation addresses this by creating standards that cater to both realms.

NFID standards describe how to use digital identity for physical access, and our contributions to the broader identity community support both physical and digital access needs. While the technical means of presenting an SSI-based credential differ between a door and a website, the core identity remains consistent.

Will NFID expand into the digital world?

NFID will naturally progress from physical to digital applications, like Digital ID. The technology could seamlessly grant access to digital realms—the metaverse, banking accounts, and more. While implementation may vary, it’s all about adapting to each context.

If we look back, physical access began with keys and cards. Today, we use phones to access both physical and digital systems. We are evolving toward a unique, universal ID for every global citizen.

The post A key component of digital identity infrastructure and decentralized ID first appeared on Identity Week.

Aviation stakeholders joined government representatives worldwide in mapping the adoption of digital identity, which is widely accepted to bring benefits to aviation security. Travel still depends on its main asset for security with the passport and the digital scanning capabilities that biometric technology can enable. The Digital Travel Credential has been set aside for decades into the future by many experts, whilst the present emphasis is on strengthening harmonious integrity of the passport to reduce fraud and unauthorised access.​

Biometrics have consolidated smooth document verification that verify passengers and enhance their experience of travelling through airports. The security leaders in identifying the core technologies that will deliver innovation, set out to ensure global cooperation keeps “flying secure”. 

“Adopting Verifiable Credentials and Decentralized Identifiers standards is a natural next step in reinforcing security, trust, and efficiency”, says Nick Careen, IATA’s Senior Vice President, Operations, Safety and Security.

Security “crosses geopolitical divides” hence the importance of meeting at the upcoming  ICAO assembly later this year to obtain a recommendation, he continues. 

“The technology is ready and proven. We now need to take the momentum of this meeting and work towards obtaining a recommendation at the upcoming ICAO assembly later this year,” said Nick Careen, IATA’s Senior Vice President, Operations, Safety and Security.

Aviation security leaders at Sydney Leaders Week Conference also had key actions to strengthen governments’ regulatory oversight of security frameworks that incorporate  Verifiable Credential and DID technologies.

IATA’s One ID initiative supports globally interoperable digital identity standards, enabling passengers to verify their travel documents before departure and move through the airport using biometric recognition instead of physical documents.

The post Aviation security leaders drive interoperable digital ID standards first appeared on Identity Week.

The strongest contenders in the race to deliver a digital ID by the eIDAS deadline include Germany, Italy, Estonia and Poland. These countries have led exciting EUDIW pilots to meet the needs of their citizens and commercial sector as the deadline looms.

Not all countries are proactively embracing eIDAS2 in time to meet the deadline, says Petar Chardakov, Business Development Manager at Ubiqu in a post on LinkedIn. Whilst levels of digitalisation may vary between countries, with developments happening all across the EU, it is expected that every member would have at least a plan in place for a European digital identity wallet by now. 

“These countries are falling dangerously behind  and that’s a problem for all of us”.

Germany issued the SPRIN-D ID wallet alongside other government agencies aiming to achieve innovation and adopt a common approach to hardware security handling secure cryptographic processes, encryption and decryption.

Italy’s offering, the IT-Wallet, was launched in December 2024 and is live for citizens, confirming their position as a “frontrunner in EUDIW development and production”, said Chardakov. 

10 years prior to the EU’s drive for digital identity interoperability, Poland made mObywatel available for Polish citizens navigating secure access to online services and preempting eIDAS 2.0. The system  is now being upgraded to allow broader compliance with the regulation amid more digitalisation. 

Estonia is a true pioneer in digital transformation, with leading companies like Cybernetica, SK Identity and Veriff delivering results for wallets. 

Countries that have not announced plans yet include:

• Bulgaria
• Denmark
• Iceland
• Latvia
• Liechtenstein
• Lithuania
• Luxembourg
• Norway
• Romania
• Slovakia
• Slovenia

The risk of falling dangerously behind for these countries would be detrimental to protecting the ecosystem of online service providers and citizens. Countries that are slow to invest in pilots and development projects put themselves at high risk of not meeting the deadline, which could cause “chaos in the digital agencies of their respective countries”.

Developing wallet systems too late will mean missing the timeframes when other countries are testing the interoperability and technological capabilities of their wallets aligned with the whole ecosystem. Without general consensus on eIDAS2, there will be greater disparity emerging between EU countries whereas the “strength of EUDIWs should be that all Europeans have the same, high-quality experience” cross-border, Chardakov commented.

Moreover, the other concern with last-minute models is the increased risk of security and data issues. eIDAS 2.0 provides guidance on how to achieve safe and trustworthy technologies when they are implemented relating to citizens’ privacy and simplicity.

The post What are the repercussions of EU member states not proactively embracing eIDAS2? first appeared on Identity Week.

Digital Travel Credentials are due to become part of the growing identity metasystem worldwide as the newest manifestation of digitalized identity, driven by leading identity and biometrics vendors under the aegis of enhanced passenger efficiency and bolstered security within the travel and immigration subsegments. Yet, simultaneously, DTCs’ acceptance and adoption hinges on the different infrastructural features and practical characteristics of Type 1, 2, and 3 DTCs, as well as acceptance from diverse market players and actors throughout the travel continuum. ABI Research, a global technology intelligence firm, forecasts a 15% global penetration rate for DTCs by 2032, as technical specifications, solidification of supporting infrastructure, growing digital maturity, and deepening interoperability converge to prime the digital ID space for DTC deployment.

“While Digital Travel Credentials (DTCs) are a natural evolution from e-passports, their implementation will be gradual due to the security-sensitive nature of travel, border control, and immigration. With many states lacking the digital maturity for widespread adoption, regional and global fragmentation is expected over the next decade. Although some leaders are piloting Type 2 DTCs, gaps in technical specifications for Types 2 and 3 hinder widespread testing, leaving Type 1 as the focus for the next five years. To unlock DTC growth, vendors must collaborate on standardization and deliver seamless, interoperable solutions,” explains Aisling Dawson, Industry Analyst at ABI Research.

Vendors primed for success understand the necessity of partnership and solution continuity, including digital ID giants like Thales, IN Groupe, Idemia, Entrust, and SITA. DTC’s potential as a tool beyond border control requires vendors to think holistically, shining a light on those who can bring value-added features and specialized expertise to the table and cater to other privacy-focused use cases like attributes-based disclosure. This includes start-ups like Neoke and established digital identity and biometrics organizations like Inverid, iProov, and Indicio.

Pre-existing digital ID schemes and identity-orientated regulation are the primary stimuli fueling regional growth and accelerating DTC adoption, with the North American region expected to take an early lead given the saturation of mobile driving licenses (mDL) in this region. However, Europe will present the most fertile ground for long-term, sustained adoption of DTCs, standing on the shoulders of comprehensive legislative schemes implemented throughout the 2020s.

“To succeed in the growing DTC market, vendors must understand their potential within and beyond the travel industry. Considering the value of each DTC type and its broader applications will be key for market positioning. While slow standardization and lack of harmonization hinder adoption, forward-thinking is essential. User experience is a critical differentiator for private partners and nation states selecting solutions, while concerns over quantum attacks on digital identity remain. Prioritizing quantum-resistant DTC solutions now will help vendors capitalize on emerging opportunities and facilitate the shift toward digitalized identity,” Dawson concludes.

These findings are from ABI Research’s Digital Travel Credentials: Key Companies and Digital Travel Credential Types: Key Characteristics and Market Readiness reports. These reports are part of the company’s Citizen Digital Identity research service, which includes research, data, and ABI Insights.

The post Digital travel credentials take off, achieving 15% global penetration by 2032 first appeared on Identity Week.

Employers wants to make good hiring decisions that will add value to their workforce and performance and this involves digging into a candidate’s background for the identity information required by law. Recently, commenting on the compliance procedures for employers, Chad Ascar, Director of Compliance Integrations at DISA, shone a light on the setbacks in background checks, where sometimes data seems to be ‘lost’ or unobtainable. The legislation in the U.S. must also be stringently followed to ascertain a candidate is eligible to work and reside in a particular state. In the U.S. the federal system means a litany of laws exist, which mirror the UK’s laws around the Right to Work and Right to Rent schemes. 

For prospective workers the background checks are expected but for employers they may assume this data is easily accessible whilst confronted with “multiple factors” impacting the “accuracy and completeness of background checks”. 

In the U.S. identity records which can give a picture of someone include name, Social Security number, date of birth, address, email address and driver licence number. 

Laws are in place to determine whether a candidate has a criminal history, bankruptcies, no residence eligibility, for instance, which work in businesses favour. On the other hand, the Fair Credit Reporting Act is a federal law that governs background checks and prohibits data being retained, stored and shared by consumer reporting agencies. This validates a timeframe during which data is in date and can be used to consider someone’s employment.

One barrier firms may face when doing background checks is finding that data has been deleted after a certain time period, in relation to civil suits, debt, tax liens, bankruptcies and criminal convictions. State and local laws can overlay the federal framework providing slightly different restrictions on what background checks can include. In states such as California, Maryland, Kansas and Massachusetts non-conviction data must only be reported from the last 7 years whilst different states.

DISA’s takeaways advise US employers to understand the Fair Credit Reporting Act and data collection as part of other regulations, which could impact comprehensive background checks. Employers are responsible for making sure hiring policies and requests for information align with state and local requirements. The Ban the Box and Fair Chance Laws also empower a candidate with a criminal history to get fair interviews that demonstrate their rehabilitation and delay when they have to disclose past convictions. Ascar notes that some laws are more ethical and privacy-minded, “expunging” personal identifiers that exist on public systems and can match data to an individual.

The post Barriers to employers completing background checks & data deletion first appeared on Identity Week.

Apple follows a stringent policy, strictly prohibiting governments from bypassing their encryption protocols. Their commitment to users’ data privacy was reaffirmed in light of the UK’s denied  request for user data access.

The fallout from this has triggered Apple to refuse the UK their highest premium data security services.

Advanced Data Protection through end-to-end encryption is only afforded to users, with even Apple executives excluded from having oversight of users’ data.

Now, Apple has taken the unprecedented decision to remove the UK’s rights to their toughest data protection tool. A figure on global users of Apple’s encryption is impossible to estimate due to their responsible. Once users opts-in and activates the tool, encryption is respected. 

Zoe Kleinman, Technology Editor at the BBC, said Apple was proving that it will not be “bossed around” and forced to share users’ data at the flippant request of governments, when the tech giant have always upheld privacy as a core value.

They are opposed, as they have always been, to creating “any backdoors” for encryption, instead  deciding to withdraw its crucial security tool from the UK. Other countries are unaffected but Apple is projecting a series warning amid international regulators trying to determine the conditions of their service. 

Apple will drop their agreement to grant Advanced Data Protection in the UK, resulting in some users losing data encryption in the iCloud. 

Encrypted data is permitted to be shared with law enforcement agencies in rare circumstances. Without acknowledging the UK’s clear breach, Apple commented it was “gravely disappointed” that the security service was no longer available for UK customers. 

“As we have said many times before, we have never built a backdoor or master key to any of our products, and we never will,” it continued. 

With current users’ access to be disabled soon, the latest development shows Apple will not give in to governments wanting control.

The post Apple cuts off security tool for UK first appeared on Identity Week.

Interview published by agendaNi

Harmonious data exchange across healthcare systems should unify “disparate data” from “diagnostic systems, public health records, laboratories, pharmacies, and hospitals”, whilst being verified between each party.

The healthcare sector is embracing digital systems and patient portals to make appointments, store data and inform patients about their medical journeys, but there is a lack of data interoperability – data which is easily available between the relevant departments – replaced by fragmented patient information. 

Dermot Boyle, Programme Manager at the Health and Social Care (HSC) Business Services Organisation (BSO) recently spoke about enhancing the interaction of data exchange for the Northern Ireland Digital Identity Service to offer streamlined communication between patient/provider or provider and provider. This can shape smoother delivery of healthcare services for everyone.

“The goal of NIDIS is simple yet ambitious: to link together every citizen’s healthcare record in Northern Ireland, creating a single, comprehensive view of each patient”.

He also argued that the quality of system patient care and being able to use unified patient records to identify current health problems was dependent on data interoperability. It is about binding data to a patient but also allowing essential data to be passed between relevant stakeholders involved in a patient’s care. The Irish and UK healthcare systems have depositories of our data across GPs, pharmacies, the hospital and health and social care trusts, which need to be married together whilst maintaining responsible, secure transactions of data. 

Central to this vision is the unique health identifier underpinning NIDIS, which Boyle says “facilitates seamless data sharing across primary, secondary, and community care settings”.

NIDIS is driven by an Oracle-based technology stack. “The master patient index (OHMPI) is the intelligence engine at the heart of the solution”.

“Oracle APEX will allow us to quickly pivot and build future applications quickly” to support the 24/7 call for the healthcare system.

 “This is not just about moving data around; it is about doing so with accuracy, speed and above all security”. COVID-19 has shown how difficult it is in reality to implement a population health index and efficiently operate data exchange when services were suddenly tested like never before.  He launched the NIDIS programme for data exchange during this time. 

He also said the programme needed to be upscaled with more demographic data, including gender and age-related data, telecommunication details, and specific postcodes to identify displaced populations needing healthcare services.

A digital identity for healthcare – agendaNi

The post Enhancing data interoperability across health care settings first appeared on Identity Week.

On International Safer Internet Day, the European Commission has selected partners, Deutsche Telekom AG and Scytáles AB, a Swedish-based digital identity company, to develop an age check solution for the EU wallet.

Verifying age through the wallet is important to prevent age-restricted transactions with minors in the modern era of online safety. 

They will jointly develop a “privacy-centric” ID card fit within the EU’s digital wallet; the contract is a landmark project that advances the EU’s Digital Services Act (DSA) initiatives.

The internet and its applications is set to be more tightly controlled for citizen privacy, whilst the European Union is ensuring citizens take back data ownership using the wallet. 

On behalf of the EU Commission, these companies will deliver a secure, scalable and privacy-compliant age verification system for the wallet. The online store communicates with the wallet to request the identity data required. 

Scytáles CEO Konstantin Papaxanthis says: “Ensuring the safety, security, and privacy of minors is a top priority in the Commission’s Better Internet for Kids (BIK+) strategy.”

“Being the technology provider for the EUDI Wallet, positions us as the ideal partner for creating a solution that meets all the high standards required for the EU wide Age Verification. We’re thrilled to have been awarded the contract by the EU, together with T-Systems and are proud to see our technology recognized.”

EU citizens and residents will be able to securely verify their age with the solution after successful implementations in the Member States, with full compliance with EU privacy standards. 

Today is the official day recognising how the internet has changed society with unlimited freedom to information that anyone can access online, even children. The number of children and young people using the internet is ever-increasing and in 2023, 97% of young people in the EU said they used the internet daily. 

Ferri Abolhassan, CEO of T-Systems and member of the Board of Management of Deutsche Telekom AG, says: “With secure identities, we are giving EU citizens back their lost digital sovereignty. People who order e.g. sneakers online often don’t know what the web store is doing with their user data. The technology confirms that someone really is who they say they are. An easy logging in without passwords for online citizen services, banking transactions or travel – simple and secure. In Germany, we are already providing successful secure healthcare services in this way.” 

Deutsche Telekom is a partner of the EU in the introduction of digital identities and participating in the EU’s field tests to activate mobile phone cards and issue health ID. The tests are taking place in Germany, France, Austria, Poland, the Netherlands, Greece and Ukraine.

The post Deutsche Telekom AG and Scytáles AB selected to develop EU’s age verification solution first appeared on Identity Week.

A notice has been served to tech giant, Apple, asking for permissions over data, which users have full autonomy over, to be shared with UK authorities. Not even Apple as a big tech corporation has access to encrypted data users store in its Cloud service.

The data request was made by the Home Office under the Investigatory Powers Act, which some have called an act of privacy violation.

Apple account users are granted full ownership over their data in the Cloud. The UK’s request is unique and a powerful overstep, some said. The encryption of data means Apple can not see it either. The notice may go unheard with Apple choosing to maintain its privacy policies for its 2.2 billion users worldwide, who will use encryption. Billions of people worldwide use encryption services on apps granted by tech companies including Apple, Google and Meta. 

Permission to access data of a specific account would only be granted in the most critical circumstances  – a national security threat, but it cannot be granted for mass surveillance. Apple has previously said outrageous requests could prompt them to remove all security services in the UK. 

The post UK’s data request tries to break Apple’s encryption for users first appeared on Identity Week.

Identity Week is delighted to announce our first Transformative Women Inclusion Report 2025.

Inclusion in any workplace is a basic right. In technology industries in particular, male professionals seriously outweigh women. A lack of diversity in talented people working on the development of complex technologies like AI, blockchain, or digital identity can impact the product in terms of creating accessible identities. 

In the report we explore the power of inclusive workforces on technology, the gendered impacts of technology around bias, and reflect on womens’ experiences from education and exposure to tech sectors, to mentorship and flexibility with juggling society’s pressures, childcare and taking career breaks. 

Technology should be built for everyone by everyone to ensure the outcome of a product delivers on benchmarks of inclusion for example, privacy, security, usability and interoperability.

“We can observe that digital ID is a tool to measure inequalities in the broader society” – Christina Hirsch, EVP Digital Trust Business, Swisscom

Inclusion can be measured in terms of how many people own a form of official identification that enables their lives, as well as if it protects their privacy. Citing research from Osservatori Digital Innovation, Politecnico di Milano, we examine the diffusion of digital ID systems between men and women across the EU ecosystem, with men quicker to adopt technologies and specifically the legal persons identity in Italy. 

Out of 850 million people who lack any form of ID across the globe, women in low-income countries are 8% less likely to own an ID than men.

Get ready to download our report, coming soon on 6th March 2025.

Other reports,

• Feb 2024: The Gold Standard for Defeating AI Deepfakes
• April 2024: Biographic to biometric data collection: The exclusion of “selective disclosure” rights for travel

This report is published in connection with our Transformative Women initiative at Identity Week Europe and Identity Week America.

The post What you need to know: Transformative Women Inclusion Report 2025 first appeared on Identity Week.

Tony Blair, a long-time advocate of digital IDs, has voiced his views that technology, especially AI, will help eradicate populist politics by Keir Starmer’s government and other parties, which detract from solution based approaches.

Politics can be awash with ministers trying to appease voters with party mandates while telling them what they want to hear to sway votes.

Widely accepted, the implementation of a national digital identity initiative and facial recognition cameras – so far trialled in London and Wales – would have many benefits to society, not least to tackle the biggest national “grievances” and root causes of populism in politics, which pressure points such as immigration, crime and benefit fraud. The ex-Prime Minister believes new technology can also drive efficiencies in public services, reduce costs and change the public perception on immigration and crime. 

With the Reform party, led by Nigel Farage, gaining traction on these issues, they are trying to lobby the current Labour government in power to deliver on their pledges by taking bold action on tech. 

Blair says that what populists do is “they take a real grievance and they exploit it but they very often don’t want to have a solution because solutions are much tougher than talking about problems”, talking about party politics. 

By harnessing the full potential of artificial intelligence or digital IDs, individuals can be empowered and streamlined interactions across government can also deliver party mandates. 

Under his premiership as the former Labour leader, Blair passed laws for mandatory ID cards which were later scrapped by the coalition government. He then founded the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change which convenes regular meetings on digital identity and provides recommendations for policymakers building digital ID systems.

Tackling illegal immigration has been deemed a major challenge facing many governments, which Sir Tony Blair has spoken up before regarding bringing in digital ID cards to improve the situation. 15,000 ID cards were circulated to UK citizens during the first Blair scheme. Yvette Cooper stated ID cards were not included in Labour’s manifesto in July 2024, however, Blair seems to have some believers in Digital ID alongside him, including Lord Hague, former Leader of the Conservative Party. 

 “That’s not our approach.”

“You’ve got to reorder the government around this technology revolution,” he says. “You should be able to have a state that is smaller, more strategic and providing greater efficiency at lower cost. That is the holy grail of governing, which people have always aspired to. Technology is the instrument that allows you to do it.” – Tony Blair, 2025. 

He also supports Starmer going further on public service reform than he did during his time in office. 

The UK must be “one of the leaders” in AI and the technology revolution, redesigning government operations and national identification around these technologies, as other countries forge ahead with advancing their own digital economies. 

The current government should push ahead decisively with embracing digital ID to unlock the benefits.

Despite the argument protecting privacy still exists, technology has advanced further from the initial scheme by Blair in 2003. It won’t give the government power over our data but Starmer should support technologies that could give his administration an edge.

The post Tony Blair backs digital IDs to eradicate populism first appeared on Identity Week.

Today, the GOV.UK OneLogin has appeared on the UK’s register of certified digital identity providers.

Alison McDowell of the Kantara Initiative took to LinkedIn posting: “This should give users confidence that the service they use to sign in to many central government services follows the same rules and standards as all the other services that have been certified against the UK digital identity and attributes trust framework”.

In October 2024, 50 services were using One Login for authentication and identity-proving.

The revised trust framework  – “gamma” – states a more comprehensive range of criteria which identity providers will have to be certified  against.

The Office for Digital Identities and Attributes published a new version of the UK Digital Identity and Attributes Trust Framework in November 2024, a pre-release which meant firms could not get certified then until 2025. This gave CABs (Conformity Assessment Bodies) time to prepare for the new rules and be accredited.

The 0.4 trust framework has five main improved points, including that services can certify as two new roles – the Holder Service Provider and Component Service Provider.

Most importantly, the framework has upgraded in terms of providing more protection and support for users, introducing a “variety of security measures, improved inclusion monitoring processes, and refined mechanisms to help users control how their data will be shared”.

The government’s One Login service, which was designed for efficient digital onboarding into the UK’s public services, has officially made it onto the register.

Good news for users of One Login!

The post GOV.UK OneLogin on UK digital ID certification register first appeared on Identity Week.

Web 3 Platform Will Be Built on Malaysia Blockchain Infrastructure

Malaysia’s leading digital services company MY E.G. Services Berhad is proud to announce a strategic collaboration with MyDigital ID Solutions Sdn Bhd to establish a blockchain powered national digital identity ecosystem, the MyDigital ID Superapp, marking a major advancement in the battle against online fraud.

This ground-breaking partnership between MYEG’s wholly-owned subsidiary MYEG Alternative Payment Services Sdn Bhd and MYIDSSB underscores both organizations’ commitment to driving technological innovation and enhancing the digital ecosystem in Malaysia.

The MyDigital ID Superapp will provide a seamless, secure, and scalable solution for integrating digital identity management for commercial service providers. Built on the Malaysia Blockchain Infrastructure—a national initiative under the National research & development agency, MIMOS—the platform offers a comprehensive suite of tools, including an ewallet, news broadcasting, and an open innovation software development environment for businesses and service providers to leverage MyDigital ID.

More importantly, this initiative is timely as it comes amid increasing calls by thought leaders and policymakers at various China-ASEAN ministerial events for the establishment of interoperable digital standards and blockchain-based identity verification systems to safeguard online security and combat fraud.

MYEG, through its Layer 1 public blockchain network Zetrix, offers the most comprehensive global ID solution, providing support for not only MyDigital ID, but also digital IDs of Chinese nationals and business entities as well as the World network’s World ID.

Enabling Businesses and Commercial Services

The MyDigital ID Superapp opens up a world of opportunities for businesses and commercial service providers. By leveraging the national MyDigital ID, companies can seamlessly integrate digital identity verification for direct logins into their existing mobile applications or offer their services as miniapps within the Superapp. This integration eliminates the need for multiple authentication systems, streamlines onboarding processes, and enhances customer experiences, ultimately reducing costs and increasing operational efficiency.

Privacy and Security at the Core

A key feature of the MyDigital ID Superapp is its commitment to data privacy and security. The Superapp functions solely as an enabling platform and does not store or access any personal data in facilitating transactions. All data interactions are conducted directly between the user and the service provider, ensuring the highest standards of confidentiality and compliance with privacy regulations.

MYEG’s expertise in electronic payment solutions complements MYIDSSB’s specialization in cybersecurity, authentication, and certification. Together, this collaboration ensures a secure and user-friendly system that prioritizes both data protection and business flexibility, meeting the evolving needs of Malaysia’s digital economy.

Championing the Efforts to Curb Cybercrime

Scams continue to wreak financial and emotional havoc across Malaysia, with the recent State of Scam Report 2024 revealing staggering losses of RM54.02 billion (US$12.8 billion) over the past year. This figure, equivalent to 3% of the nation’s GDP, underscores the pressing need for stronger countermeasures against fraud. Further afield, Cyber scammers in Southeast Asia stole up to $37 billion in 2023, with a significant rise in AI-driven crimes.

By bringing together the latest innovations in Blockchain and Artificial Intelligence with Malaysia’s National Digital ID initiative, this collaboration intends to extend interoperability and the protections afforded to users across Malaysia’s economy and cross-border transactions.

This partnership reflects a shared vision to modernise Malaysia’s digital infrastructure without disrupting existing systems. Both MYEG and MYIDSSB are committed to adopting a phased approach to ensure the successful implementation of this future-ready platform.

Zetrix co-founder Dato’ Fadzli Shah stated: “MYEG’s collaboration with MyDigital ID Solutions marks an important step forward in enhancing Malaysia’s digital landscape and meeting the need for interoperable national digital IDs. This platform will simplify access to digital services while maintaining the highest standards of data security and user privacy. At the same time, it will enable businesses to unlock new opportunities and streamline their operations in the digital age.”

The development and proof of concept for the MyDigital ID Superapp are set for completion by the first quarter of 2025, with scalability and future readiness as core priorities. This partnership demonstrates the potential for private-public sector collaboration to propel Malaysia toward its digital transformation goals.

The post MYEG partners with MyDigital ID solutions to establish Malaysia’s digital identity ecosystem first appeared on Identity Week.

Four Australian banks have adopted ConnectID digital identity solution for their customers as a secure data sharing service that preserves their privacy. Trusted banks – that already possess verified data about their customers – can provide trust assurance on their behalf to make a third-party transaction.

It offers a seamless, secure verification method for end-users through their bank, as most people in Australia have a bank account with one of the largest financial institutions in the country.

Rather than relying on passwords or other options that can be compromised by fraudulent attacks, the ConnectID scheme recognises banks as trust anchors who have the power to cross-reference customers’ trust credentials with other businesses and sectors that require efficient verification. 

The banks in question that have given the greenlight to enabling easier and more secure experiences for their customers are: Commonwealth Bank, National Australia Bank, Westpac and ANZ.

ConnectID was launched in 2023 by Australian Payments Plus as the ultimate intermediary between businesses seeking user verification, big banks and identity providers. The scheme has signed up many banks and fintech leaders to date like loan matching company, Lendela, 

‘Individuals trust banks – their bank in particular – not only to look after their money but also their data’ – Andrew Black, Managing Director of ConnectID, Australian Payments Plus speaking at Identity Week Asia 2023.

10 million customers are now able to verify themselves and securely manage their own data being shared via digital identity solution ConnectID® for sign-ups or transactions.  ConnectID does not see or store any of the customer’s data and denies businesses, with varying levels of cyber protection, from excess permissions to their data or storing it.

The entire transaction, facilitated by ConnectID, prevents customers having to over-share their identity documents like driver licences and passports when they are not needed.

Research conducted by Kantar in December 2024 shows 72% of Australians are now aware of these digital identity services as solutions, a notable increase over the past year from 52% in December 2023.

Sujeet Rana, Chief Digital Officer, National Australia Bank (NAB), commented: “At NAB, empowering our customers is at the heart of what we do and choosing who you trust to verify you is just one of the ways we hand back control. With ConnectID, our customers can securely verify their identity and maintain visibility over where they’ve shared their data, and with whom. Plus, nothing is shared without express consent. This is an exciting milestone in Australia’s digital identity journey.”

 

Westpac Managing Director, Consumer Finance & Chief Digital Officer, Jason Hair, says the bank invests heavily in keeping customers safe online, with data protection a priority: “Investing in and adopting tools such as ConnectID allow us to help our customers keep their data better protected – backed by our app’s robust safety and security measures.”

The post Four more banks offer their customers ConnectID service and privacy in transactions first appeared on Identity Week.

All websites have to comply with implementing robust verification measures for their users by July. Ofcom clarified what this means for social media platforms which have the biggest following among younger users.

ID verification technologies should be capable of “highly effective checks” to verify the age of teenagers and prevent younger children from accessing these sites. The most activity that young people have on the internet is on social media platforms, where they can be targeted by harmful advertising and exposure to threatening, suicidal or pornographic content. 

Technologies will meet the accreditation standards if they deliver on these four criteria: Technical Accuracy, Reliability, Robustness and Fairness.

The range of age assurance methods that Ofcom has said can be highly effective can also be easily circumvented by children, therefore not passing the Robustness test. Authentication that currently exists on sites – such as requesting biographical information like date of birth or signing T&Cs restricting use to adults only – can allow anyone to self assert their permissions to create a social media account. 

Age verification platform Yoti expressed “surprise” that Ofcom has not considered “submitting Name, Date of Birth & Address details as not highly effective given it fails the robustness test”.

In 2019, the BBFC (British Board of Film Classification) ruled out false details that match electoral rolls as an age check method to access online porn. Children today are exposed to more harmful content above their age bracket including porn, which should alert websites to installing secure age-check techniques such as using photo ID, credit card checks or facial age estimation, deemed “robust”. 

According to a survey by the Children’s Commissioner, one in ten children see online pornography by age nine as it is so readily available on the web that children come across it. 

Although not an exhaustive list, Ofcom said age-check techniques could include:

• Open banking
• Photo ID matching
• Facial age estimation
• Mobile network operator age checks
• Credit card checks
• Digital identity services
• Email-based age estimation

However, privacy campaign group Big Brother Watch warned that some age-checking methods could “fail to keep children safe” and “eradicate privacy online”.

“Children must be protected online, but many technological age checking methods are ineffective and introduce additional risks to children and adults alike including security breaches, privacy intrusion, errors, digital exclusion and censorship,” said boss Silkie Carlo.

The post Ofcom issues guidance on how age checks can be highly “robust” to protect children first appeared on Identity Week.

Humanity Protocol, a decentralized, privacy-first digital identity blockchain, proudly announces the launch of Humanity Foundation, an initiative to advance decentralized identity technology and foster global adoption of Proof of Humanity solutions. The Foundation will be led by its founding directors, Yat Siu, Chairman of Animoca Brands, Mario Nawfal, Founder of International Blockchain Consulting, and Yeewai Chong, a seasoned investment professional from Morgan Stanley and Ortus Capital.

Humanity Foundation will serve as the driving force behind Humanity Protocol’s ecosystem, with a mission to fund innovation, incentivize community growth, and explore transformative use cases for decentralized identity.

At the core of Humanity Protocol is its Proof of Humanity framework, which kickstarts identity verification with privacy-preserving biometrics to establish human uniqueness. This foundational layer provides a secure and sybil-resistant way to authenticate users while preserving their privacy.

Building on this biometric foundation, Humanity Protocol enables users to layer additional credentials—such as educational qualifications, employment history, and social reputation—onto their verified identity. This creates an extensible, decentralized, and open identity layer that empowers users to take ownership of their data and interact confidently across digital and physical domains.

“Biometrics provide the ideal starting point for building a secure, decentralized identity system,” said Yeewai Chong, interim CEO of Humanity Foundation. “By anchoring Proof of Humanity in biometric verification, we unlock a world of possibilities for integrating diverse human attributes into a single, privacy-first identity framework.”

Humanity Foundation will play a pivotal role in accelerating the adoption of Humanity Protocol’s Proof of Humanity framework by issuing grants that promote adoption of Humanity Protocol, fostering ecosystem growth, and forming partnerships across industries. Founding directors Yat Siu, Mario Nawfal, and Yeewai Chong bring exceptional expertise to guide this mission and ensure long-term success.

Meanwhile, Human Institute, led by Terence Kwok, serves as Humanity Protocol’s dedicated ecosystem partner. Human Institute is responsible for advancing the protocol’s technical and product roadmap, driving ecosystem expansion, and forging strategic partnerships that position Humanity Protocol as the global standard for decentralized identity.

The post Humanity Protocol launches humanity foundation to propel the future of digital identity first appeared on Identity Week.