The Open Identity Exchange opposes a government centralised digital ID system for citizens in favour of a decentralised private model, which typically hands back control to users over their personal data and digital credentials.
Chief strategist Nick Mothershaw has been very vocal about his criticisms of the stance taken by Tony Blair Institute, which attracted the media spotlight recently due to comments made by Tony Blair and William Hague calling for a government-issued national digital ID card and national datasets.
In stark contrast, Mothershaw contested that a digital ID card and a centralised system compiling the data of every citizen would be instrumental to making Britain a technological innovative leader and dominant economy.
“Digital IDs are complex”, he said, criticising the comments of two of the most prominent names in British politics.
He proposed a “smart” digital wallet that integrated both private and public produced ID and digital credentials that met all user’s needs and allowed the user’s control over sharing their personal information.
“In our view, government should focus on issuing user managed ID proofs into certified private sector smart digital IDs, or wallets, Mothershaw said. “This will allow the private sector to provide users innovative smart digital ID services that blend trusted ID proofs from government, with public and private sector credentials.”
