The Biometrics Institute has released a high-level overview of how biometrics intersects with digital identity onboarding to guide decision-makers considering, or already implementing, the use of biometrics in online sign-ups. Online sign-up processes – or onboarding – have been part of the digital transformation landscape for some time. In low-security contexts, like social media, onboarding requires minimal identity proof from the new customer. In more sensitive contexts, like banking and government services, greater identity proof is required to link the digital service to a specific person. These contexts have until recently typically used in-person, rather than remote, sign-up processes. Pressure to streamline onboarding experiences in these more sensitive contexts is building from different directions. Customers have raised expectations based on simple sign-up experiences elsewhere. And as COVID-19 has curtailed our ability for face-to-face engagement, a remote option has become imperative for many organisations. Business functions which rely on in-person implementation have been impaired by the pandemic, while remote onboarding and service delivery have experienced dramatic growth in many areas. The new paper from the international membership organisation is aimed at bodies considering the attachment of a digital identity to a human identity using biometric technology. Isabelle Moeller, chief executive of the Biometrics Institute says, 'Many of our members have had to pivot the way they do business since social distancing swept the globe. Our Digital Identity Group has poured its extensive expertise into this paper to guide our members in ensuring that where they use biometrics in remote onboarding, they do so responsibly. As with all our publications it has gone through a rigorous review process and presents a balanced view on the issues.'Brett Feldon, head of the Biometrics Institute's Digital Identity Group which authored the report says, 'This paper provides clear guidance for decision-makers considering remote onboarding using biometrics. Anyone considering remote digital onboarding should get usable insight from it. The paper represents an important contribution in support of the global digital identity community, in that it provides clear, non-technical guidance for digital leaders.'
BI launches paper on onboarding
