![\"college](\"https://www.pymnts.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Most-important-college-app-features.png\")
Fraudsters, like consumers, love a good deal.
\nAnd the gig economy, estimated to be worth half a trillion dollars in 2023 and employing 38% of the U.S. workforce, is becoming their latest target \u2014 with more than a third of U.S. consumers report being victims of fraud on gig platforms, a rate 10 times higher than any other fraud circumstance.
\n\u201cThe challenge is that anyone can join these platforms \u2026 therefore, the bad folks do as well,\u201d Rodger Desai, CEO at Prove Identity, told PYMNTS\u2019 CEO Karen Webster, explaining that the open nature of platforms like DoorDash and Uber \u2014 as well as their fundamental utility \u2014 make them attractive targets for bad actors.
\nMany gig economy platforms allow users to operate under pseudonyms or remain anonymous. While this can provide privacy for legitimate users, it also opens the door for fraudsters to create multiple fake accounts or impersonate others without fear of immediate detection. This anonymity makes it challenging to track and hold scammers accountable.
\nThe challenge in fighting fraud within the gig economy, Desai said, lies in balancing security with the need for rapid onboarding and user convenience.
\nAs the gig economy grows, so do the techniques used by fraudsters. From phishing scams and account takeovers to synthetic identity fraud and fake reviews, the evolving nature of fraud in the gig economy requires constant vigilance. Fraudsters often stay ahead of security measures, exploiting new technologies and vulnerabilities as they arise.
\nAgainst this backdrop, Desai said established trust networks like those used by credit card companies and mobile phone operators can prove to be a powerful tool in fighting fraud.
\n\u201cNetworks like Visa and Mastercard have done a great job of creating a circle of trust. You and I can jump on a plane and go to Thailand and have lunch somewhere, and that merchant will know they\u2019ll get paid in their currency \u2026 in the same way you can go anywhere in the world and make a phone call,\u201d he said. \u201cThe question is, how do you apply that to the gig economy?\u201d
\nImplementing a system of \u201ccheck marks\u201d to verify users while maintaining their privacy, Desai said, could be one promising solution.
\nUnder this system, users could maintain anonymity on the platform while still being verified. For example, a user could choose a pseudonym like \u201cTaylor Swift\u201d but have a check mark next to their name, indicating to other users that they have been verified by the platform.
\nThis approach aims to create accountability without compromising privacy.
\n\u201cYou should be anonymous until you don\u2019t have the right to be,\u201d Desai said, explaining that in cases of law-breaking or terms of service violations, platforms could \u201cbreak the glass\u201d to access the user\u2019s real identity.
\nThe proposed system relies heavily on phone-based verification, and Desai noted that his company has developed technology that can tie phone numbers to real-world identities with high accuracy, even as users change phone numbers or devices. This persistent identity token, he explained, could form the basis of a durable verification system.
\nImportantly, the approach elaborated on by Desai would allow for varying levels of information sharing. Users could choose to share as little as confirming they are human, or as much as their spending habits and travel preferences, depending on their comfort level and the benefits offered by the platform.
\nHowever, implementing such a system faces challenges. It would require widespread adoption to be effective, and platforms would need to carefully consider how to incorporate it into their terms of service. There are also questions about how to handle global verification, given the vast differences in identity documentation and phone usage worldwide.
\nStill, \u201cIt\u2019s a vital need that exists,\u201d said Desai, noting that Prove has \u201cjust launched into this general category of trust and safety within the gig economy.\u201d
\nAnd with the rise of artificial intelligence-generated content and deepfakes, being able to verify the authenticity of both users and content is critical.
\nWhile it remains to be seen how such systems will be implemented and adopted, one thing is clear: As fraud in the gig economy and beyond it continues to rise, innovative approaches to digital identity and verification will be crucial in maintaining trust in our digital world.
\n\u201cOver time, you\u2019re probably only going to trust things that have been signed and verified,\u201d said Desai, predicting that verification systems may soon come to extend beyond user profiles to content itself.\u00a0
\nThe post Circle of Trust: How Digital Identities Can Secure the Gig Economy Against Fraud appeared first on PYMNTS.com.
\n", "content_text": "Fraudsters, like consumers, love a good deal. \nAnd the gig economy, estimated to be worth half a trillion dollars in 2023 and employing 38% of the U.S. workforce, is becoming their latest target \u2014 with more than a third of U.S. consumers report being victims of fraud on gig platforms, a rate 10 times higher than any other fraud circumstance.\n\u201cThe challenge is that anyone can join these platforms \u2026 therefore, the bad folks do as well,\u201d Rodger Desai, CEO at Prove Identity, told PYMNTS\u2019 CEO Karen Webster, explaining that the open nature of platforms like DoorDash and Uber \u2014 as well as their fundamental utility \u2014 make them attractive targets for bad actors.\nMany gig economy platforms allow users to operate under pseudonyms or remain anonymous. While this can provide privacy for legitimate users, it also opens the door for fraudsters to create multiple fake accounts or impersonate others without fear of immediate detection. This anonymity makes it challenging to track and hold scammers accountable.\nThe challenge in fighting fraud within the gig economy, Desai said, lies in balancing security with the need for rapid onboarding and user convenience.\nEstablishing a Trust Network\nAs the gig economy grows, so do the techniques used by fraudsters. From phishing scams and account takeovers to synthetic identity fraud and fake reviews, the evolving nature of fraud in the gig economy requires constant vigilance. Fraudsters often stay ahead of security measures, exploiting new technologies and vulnerabilities as they arise.\nAgainst this backdrop, Desai said established trust networks like those used by credit card companies and mobile phone operators can prove to be a powerful tool in fighting fraud. \n\u201cNetworks like Visa and Mastercard have done a great job of creating a circle of trust. You and I can jump on a plane and go to Thailand and have lunch somewhere, and that merchant will know they\u2019ll get paid in their currency \u2026 in the same way you can go anywhere in the world and make a phone call,\u201d he said. \u201cThe question is, how do you apply that to the gig economy?\u201d\nImplementing a system of \u201ccheck marks\u201d to verify users while maintaining their privacy, Desai said, could be one promising solution. \nUnder this system, users could maintain anonymity on the platform while still being verified. For example, a user could choose a pseudonym like \u201cTaylor Swift\u201d but have a check mark next to their name, indicating to other users that they have been verified by the platform. \nThis approach aims to create accountability without compromising privacy.\n\u201cYou should be anonymous until you don\u2019t have the right to be,\u201d Desai said, explaining that in cases of law-breaking or terms of service violations, platforms could \u201cbreak the glass\u201d to access the user\u2019s real identity.\nThe proposed system relies heavily on phone-based verification, and Desai noted that his company has developed technology that can tie phone numbers to real-world identities with high accuracy, even as users change phone numbers or devices. This persistent identity token, he explained, could form the basis of a durable verification system.\nPhone-Based Digital ID Tokens\nImportantly, the approach elaborated on by Desai would allow for varying levels of information sharing. Users could choose to share as little as confirming they are human, or as much as their spending habits and travel preferences, depending on their comfort level and the benefits offered by the platform.\nHowever, implementing such a system faces challenges. It would require widespread adoption to be effective, and platforms would need to carefully consider how to incorporate it into their terms of service. There are also questions about how to handle global verification, given the vast differences in identity documentation and phone usage worldwide.\nStill, \u201cIt\u2019s a vital need that exists,\u201d said Desai, noting that Prove has \u201cjust launched into this general category of trust and safety within the gig economy.\u201d\nAnd with the rise of artificial intelligence-generated content and deepfakes, being able to verify the authenticity of both users and content is critical.\nWhile it remains to be seen how such systems will be implemented and adopted, one thing is clear: As fraud in the gig economy and beyond it continues to rise, innovative approaches to digital identity and verification will be crucial in maintaining trust in our digital world.\n\u201cOver time, you\u2019re probably only going to trust things that have been signed and verified,\u201d said Desai, predicting that verification systems may soon come to extend beyond user profiles to content itself.\u00a0\nThe post Circle of Trust: How Digital Identities Can Secure the Gig Economy Against Fraud appeared first on PYMNTS.com.", "date_published": "2024-09-05T04:01:44-04:00", "date_modified": "2024-09-04T22:09:17-04:00", "authors": [ { "name": "PYMNTS", "url": "https://www.pymnts.com/author/pymnts/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/f05cc0fdcc9e387e4f3570c17158c503?s=512&d=blank&r=g" } ], "author": { "name": "PYMNTS", "url": "https://www.pymnts.com/author/pymnts/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/f05cc0fdcc9e387e4f3570c17158c503?s=512&d=blank&r=g" }, "image": "https://www.pymnts.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Digital-identity.jpg", "tags": [ "authentication", "Digital Identity", "Featured News", "fraud detection", "gig economy", "gig economy fraud", "ID verification", "News", "phone-based ID", "Prove Identity", "PYMNTS News", "pymnts tv", "Rodger Desai", "video" ] }, { "id": "https://www.pymnts.com/?p=2094149", "url": "https://www.pymnts.com/digital-identity/2024/ais-human-mimicry-spurs-personhood-credential-proposal/", "title": "AI\u2019s Human Mimicry Spurs \u2018Personhood Credential\u2019 Proposal", "content_html": "As artificial intelligence (AI) increasingly blurs the line between humans and machines in online commerce, researchers have proposed a new system to authenticate real users without compromising their privacy.
\nIn a recent paper published on arXiv, researchers from OpenAI and MIT introduced the concept of \u201cpersonhood credentials.\u201d The proposed solution would allow users to verify their authenticity without revealing their identities, potentially reshaping how consumers establish trust in eCommerce and other online interactions.
\nThe paper said that as AI advances, traditional methods of verifying human users, such as CAPTCHAs, are becoming obsolete.
\n\u201cThe line between human and AI-generated content is rapidly blurring,\u201d it said, highlighting the urgency of developing new authentication methods.
\nThe proposed personhood credential system would leverage cryptographic techniques to create a unique identifier for each user, which could be presented to verify human status without disclosing personal information. This balance between security and privacy could have far-reaching implications for online commerce, social media platforms and other digital environments where verifying human participation is crucial.
\n\u201cBusinesses could implement stronger controls against automated bots, reducing the volume of fraudulent transactions and ensuring that people know when they\u2019re interacting with other people,\u201d Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Senior Member Kayne McGladrey told PYMNTS. This could be particularly beneficial in industries where trust and verification are crucial, such as financial services and eCommerce.
\nThe researchers believe the credentials could be issued by various \u201ctrusted institutions,\u201d such as governments and service providers like Google and Apple, which already require users to log in with an ID.
\nGlobal adoption is essential for these systems to be effective. Researchers are urging governments, technologists, companies and standards bodies to collaborate and establish a universal standard.
\nThe system\u2019s potential benefits extend beyond fraud prevention. Businesses can reduce the risk of account takeovers and identity theft by providing a secure and decentralized way to verify identities. This added layer of security could boost consumer confidence in online transactions, potentially driving growth in eCommerce and other digital services.
\nFor eCommerce retailers, the concept of personhood credentials represents a solution to long-standing challenges. Darren Williams, chief AI officer at Flux and former CTO for several eCommerce retailers, views it as a potential \u201cgolden bullet\u201d for protecting online transactions.
\n\u201ceCommerce companies could use \u2018personhood credentials\u2019 to verify the authenticity of customers\u2019 identities, in the same way the cryptocurrency industry uses blockchain technology and ledger validation to verify millions of transactions around the world,\u201d Williams told PYMNTS.
\nHowever, implementing such a system faces hurdles. One of the primary challenges is striking the right balance between privacy and security. The system would need to utilize advanced cryptographic techniques that are secure, scalable and user friendly.
\nWidespread adoption is another challenge. For personhood credentials to be effective, they must be accepted by various businesses and digital platforms. This would require convincing various stakeholders to adopt a new standard that may initially seem complex or burdensome. In a competitive market where proprietary solutions are often favored, achieving this level of cooperation could prove difficult.
\nSecurity concerns also loom. As McGladrey said, threat actors would likely constantly attack centralized personhood credential providers. However, the level of encryption used in such a system may improve current security measures.
\nThe rise of AI-driven fraud will likely push regulators to establish stricter policies governing online commerce. As AI systems become more adept at mimicking human behavior, the potential for large-scale, automated fraud and misinformation campaigns increases. This could lead to a loss of trust in digital platforms, prompting regulators to step in to protect consumers and businesses.
\nFuture regulatory policies may mandate using personhood credentials or similar verification systems to ensure that online transactions and interactions are genuine. Additionally, regulators might push for more robust digital identity frameworks incorporating privacy-preserving technologies to combat the growing threat of AI-driven deception.
\nWilliams said that in the future, there may be \u201cmore emphasis on intelligent tools that can detect and flag suspicious activity in real-time, and more stringent regulations around the use of AI in online transactions.\u201d This shift toward AI-powered detection and prevention could reshape the regulatory landscape for online commerce.
\nThe European Union, known for its pro-privacy stance, might adopt such technologies first.
\n\u201cWe may see draft proposals from EU member states based on the concept of personhood credentials,\u201d McGladrey said. This could set a precedent for other regions to follow, potentially leading to a global standard for digital identity verification.
\nThe need for privacy-preserving identity verification systems will likely grow as AI evolves. Developing personhood credentials represents a significant step in the ongoing conversation about trust and authenticity in the digital age. It offers a potential solution to the increasing challenge of distinguishing between human and AI-generated content and interactions online.
\nWhile implementation and adoption remain challenges, the concept of personhood credentials provides a potential framework for establishing human identity in digital spaces while maintaining individual privacy and autonomy.
\n\u201cThe development of \u2018personhood credentials\u2019 is just the beginning of this conversation, and I\u2019m excited to see how it will shape the future of online commerce,\u201d Williams said.
\nThe post AI\u2019s Human Mimicry Spurs \u2018Personhood Credential\u2019 Proposal appeared first on PYMNTS.com.
\n", "content_text": "As artificial intelligence (AI) increasingly blurs the line between humans and machines in online commerce, researchers have proposed a new system to authenticate real users without compromising their privacy.\nIn a recent paper published on arXiv, researchers from OpenAI and MIT introduced the concept of \u201cpersonhood credentials.\u201d The proposed solution would allow users to verify their authenticity without revealing their identities, potentially reshaping how consumers establish trust in eCommerce and other online interactions.\nThe paper said that as AI advances, traditional methods of verifying human users, such as CAPTCHAs, are becoming obsolete.\n\u201cThe line between human and AI-generated content is rapidly blurring,\u201d it said, highlighting the urgency of developing new authentication methods.\nThe proposed personhood credential system would leverage cryptographic techniques to create a unique identifier for each user, which could be presented to verify human status without disclosing personal information. This balance between security and privacy could have far-reaching implications for online commerce, social media platforms and other digital environments where verifying human participation is crucial.\n\u201cBusinesses could implement stronger controls against automated bots, reducing the volume of fraudulent transactions and ensuring that people know when they\u2019re interacting with other people,\u201d Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Senior Member Kayne McGladrey told PYMNTS. This could be particularly beneficial in industries where trust and verification are crucial, such as financial services and eCommerce.\nImpact on eCommerce\nThe researchers believe the credentials could be issued by various \u201ctrusted institutions,\u201d such as governments and service providers like Google and Apple, which already require users to log in with an ID.\nGlobal adoption is essential for these systems to be effective. Researchers are urging governments, technologists, companies and standards bodies to collaborate and establish a universal standard.\nThe system\u2019s potential benefits extend beyond fraud prevention. Businesses can reduce the risk of account takeovers and identity theft by providing a secure and decentralized way to verify identities. This added layer of security could boost consumer confidence in online transactions, potentially driving growth in eCommerce and other digital services.\nFor eCommerce retailers, the concept of personhood credentials represents a solution to long-standing challenges. Darren Williams, chief AI officer at Flux and former CTO for several eCommerce retailers, views it as a potential \u201cgolden bullet\u201d for protecting online transactions.\n\u201ceCommerce companies could use \u2018personhood credentials\u2019 to verify the authenticity of customers\u2019 identities, in the same way the cryptocurrency industry uses blockchain technology and ledger validation to verify millions of transactions around the world,\u201d Williams told PYMNTS.\nChallenges and Future Regulations\nHowever, implementing such a system faces hurdles. One of the primary challenges is striking the right balance between privacy and security. The system would need to utilize advanced cryptographic techniques that are secure, scalable and user friendly.\nWidespread adoption is another challenge. For personhood credentials to be effective, they must be accepted by various businesses and digital platforms. This would require convincing various stakeholders to adopt a new standard that may initially seem complex or burdensome. In a competitive market where proprietary solutions are often favored, achieving this level of cooperation could prove difficult.\nSecurity concerns also loom. As McGladrey said, threat actors would likely constantly attack centralized personhood credential providers. However, the level of encryption used in such a system may improve current security measures.\nThe rise of AI-driven fraud will likely push regulators to establish stricter policies governing online commerce. As AI systems become more adept at mimicking human behavior, the potential for large-scale, automated fraud and misinformation campaigns increases. This could lead to a loss of trust in digital platforms, prompting regulators to step in to protect consumers and businesses.\nFuture regulatory policies may mandate using personhood credentials or similar verification systems to ensure that online transactions and interactions are genuine. Additionally, regulators might push for more robust digital identity frameworks incorporating privacy-preserving technologies to combat the growing threat of AI-driven deception.\nWilliams said that in the future, there may be \u201cmore emphasis on intelligent tools that can detect and flag suspicious activity in real-time, and more stringent regulations around the use of AI in online transactions.\u201d This shift toward AI-powered detection and prevention could reshape the regulatory landscape for online commerce.\nThe European Union, known for its pro-privacy stance, might adopt such technologies first.\n\u201cWe may see draft proposals from EU member states based on the concept of personhood credentials,\u201d McGladrey said. This could set a precedent for other regions to follow, potentially leading to a global standard for digital identity verification.\nThe need for privacy-preserving identity verification systems will likely grow as AI evolves. Developing personhood credentials represents a significant step in the ongoing conversation about trust and authenticity in the digital age. It offers a potential solution to the increasing challenge of distinguishing between human and AI-generated content and interactions online.\nWhile implementation and adoption remain challenges, the concept of personhood credentials provides a potential framework for establishing human identity in digital spaces while maintaining individual privacy and autonomy.\n\u201cThe development of \u2018personhood credentials\u2019 is just the beginning of this conversation, and I\u2019m excited to see how it will shape the future of online commerce,\u201d Williams said.\nThe post AI\u2019s Human Mimicry Spurs \u2018Personhood Credential\u2019 Proposal appeared first on PYMNTS.com.", "date_published": "2024-09-04T20:02:45-04:00", "date_modified": "2024-09-04T20:02:45-04:00", "authors": [ { "name": "PYMNTS", "url": "https://www.pymnts.com/author/pymnts/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/f05cc0fdcc9e387e4f3570c17158c503?s=512&d=blank&r=g" } ], "author": { "name": "PYMNTS", "url": "https://www.pymnts.com/author/pymnts/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/f05cc0fdcc9e387e4f3570c17158c503?s=512&d=blank&r=g" }, "image": "https://www.pymnts.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/AI-artificial-intelligence-digital-identity.jpg", "tags": [ "AI", "artificial intelligence", "Darren Williams", "Digital Identity", "digital transformation", "ecommerce", "financial services", "ID verification", "identity verification", "Kayne McGladrey", "News", "PYMNTS News" ] }, { "id": "https://www.pymnts.com/?p=2080506", "url": "https://www.pymnts.com/digital-identity/2024/democratic-republic-of-the-congo-cancels-digital-identity-project/", "title": "Report: Democratic Republic of the Congo Cancels Digital Identity Project", "content_html": "The Democratic Republic of the Congo has reportedly canceled\u00a0what would have been one of the most expensive digital identity projects ever executed.
\nThe country canceled the $1.2 billion project amid warnings of cost overruns and possible funding irregularities, Bloomberg reported Tuesday (Sept. 3).
\nRichard Ilunga, director general of the Democratic Republic of the Congo\u2019s\u00a0National Office for Population Identification\u00a0(ONIP), told Bloomberg that the project was canceled on Aug. 12 following a meeting of government officials and representatives of the companies that were to have built the project: French biometrics firm\u00a0Idemia and an intermediary called Afritech.
\nIlunga did not give a reason for the cancellation of the contract, according to the report.
\nThe report said the meeting was held three days after an Aug. 9 Bloomberg\u00a0report\u00a0that said the\u00a0World Bank declined to finance the project because there hadn\u2019t been a competitive tendering process; civic servants in ONIP said there were \u201cworrying elements\u201d in the companies\u2019 proposal; and the Democratic Republic of the Congo\u2019s\u00a0Inspectorate General of Finance raised concerns about the cost and proposed financing system for the project.
\nIn its Tuesday report, Bloomberg said Idemia confirmed the cancelation of the project but said it couldn\u2019t answer questions about financing because of its contract with Afritech. Afritech CEO Samba Bathily didn\u2019t respond to Bloomberg\u2019s questions, per the report.
\nThe Democratic Republic of the Congo had hoped to implement a biometric identity system because the country currently has no national ID system, per the report. The lack of such a system makes it more difficult for citizens to open bank accounts and perform other tasks.
\nBiometric authentication \u2014 which uses fingerprints, facial features or iris patterns \u2014 is one of the latest frontiers in the ongoing evolution of payments, PYMNTS reported in May.
\nIn another application of the technology,\u00a0IDEMIA Public Security North America and\u00a0My Family ID said in August that they partnered to use IDEMIA\u2019s\u00a0biometric-based solutions to help families capture a photo, fingerprints or other identification information for their children for use in case a child or other family member ever goes missing.
\nIn July, IDEMIA said it teamed up with\u00a0Samsung\u00a0to bring\u00a0mobile IDs to Iowa, allowing the state\u2019s residents to store their mobile ID in their Samsung Wallet.
\nThe post Report: Democratic Republic of the Congo Cancels Digital Identity Project appeared first on PYMNTS.com.
\n", "content_text": "The Democratic Republic of the Congo has reportedly canceled\u00a0what would have been one of the most expensive digital identity projects ever executed.\nThe country canceled the $1.2 billion project amid warnings of cost overruns and possible funding irregularities, Bloomberg reported Tuesday (Sept. 3).\nRichard Ilunga, director general of the Democratic Republic of the Congo\u2019s\u00a0National Office for Population Identification\u00a0(ONIP), told Bloomberg that the project was canceled on Aug. 12 following a meeting of government officials and representatives of the companies that were to have built the project: French biometrics firm\u00a0Idemia and an intermediary called Afritech.\nIlunga did not give a reason for the cancellation of the contract, according to the report.\nThe report said the meeting was held three days after an Aug. 9 Bloomberg\u00a0report\u00a0that said the\u00a0World Bank declined to finance the project because there hadn\u2019t been a competitive tendering process; civic servants in ONIP said there were \u201cworrying elements\u201d in the companies\u2019 proposal; and the Democratic Republic of the Congo\u2019s\u00a0Inspectorate General of Finance raised concerns about the cost and proposed financing system for the project.\nIn its Tuesday report, Bloomberg said Idemia confirmed the cancelation of the project but said it couldn\u2019t answer questions about financing because of its contract with Afritech. Afritech CEO Samba Bathily didn\u2019t respond to Bloomberg\u2019s questions, per the report.\nThe Democratic Republic of the Congo had hoped to implement a biometric identity system because the country currently has no national ID system, per the report. The lack of such a system makes it more difficult for citizens to open bank accounts and perform other tasks.\nBiometric authentication \u2014 which uses fingerprints, facial features or iris patterns \u2014 is one of the latest frontiers in the ongoing evolution of payments, PYMNTS reported in May.\nIn another application of the technology,\u00a0IDEMIA Public Security North America and\u00a0My Family ID said in August that they partnered to use IDEMIA\u2019s\u00a0biometric-based solutions to help families capture a photo, fingerprints or other identification information for their children for use in case a child or other family member ever goes missing.\nIn July, IDEMIA said it teamed up with\u00a0Samsung\u00a0to bring\u00a0mobile IDs to Iowa, allowing the state\u2019s residents to store their mobile ID in their Samsung Wallet.\nThe post Report: Democratic Republic of the Congo Cancels Digital Identity Project appeared first on PYMNTS.com.", "date_published": "2024-09-03T18:47:19-04:00", "date_modified": "2024-09-03T18:47:19-04:00", "authors": [ { "name": "PYMNTS", "url": "https://www.pymnts.com/author/pymnts/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/f05cc0fdcc9e387e4f3570c17158c503?s=512&d=blank&r=g" } ], "author": { "name": "PYMNTS", "url": "https://www.pymnts.com/author/pymnts/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/f05cc0fdcc9e387e4f3570c17158c503?s=512&d=blank&r=g" }, "image": "https://www.pymnts.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Congo-digital-identity.jpg", "tags": [ "Africa", "Afritech", "biometrics", "Congo", "Democratic Republic of the Congo", "Digital Identity", "digital transformation", "EMEA", "IDEMIA", "identity", "identity verification", "international", "News", "PYMNTS News", "What's Hot" ] }, { "id": "https://www.pymnts.com/?p=2077648", "url": "https://www.pymnts.com/digital-identity/2024/block-joins-nist-program-to-promote-mobile-drivers-licenses/", "title": "Block Joins NIST Program to Promote Mobile Driver\u2019s Licenses", "content_html": "Block is working with the U.S. government to promote the use of digital identity tools.
\nThe FinTech conglomerate announced Thursday (Aug. 29) that it was working with the National Cybersecurity Center of Excellence (NCCoE), a division of the Commerce Department\u2019s National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), to identify standards for mobile driver\u2019s licenses, or MDLs.
\n\u201cWhether boarding a plane, creating a bank account, or making an online purchase, mobile driver\u2019s licenses and other digital credentials have the potential to improve the way we conduct transactions, both in person and online,\u201d said Bill Fisher, co-lead of the NIST mDL project.
\n\u201cTo help realize this potential, the NCCoE is collaborating with more than a dozen partners from across the mDL ecosystem to build out reference implementations and to accelerate the adoption of mDL standards and best practices,\u201d Fisher added.
\nAccording to a news release, Block is part of a consortium of companies involved in the project, and will lobby for the implementation of \u201cestablished, open standards\u201d for digital identity tools, which the company says allow for greater transparency and security while reducing the risk that consumers will be wedded to proprietary systems from individual vendors.
\n\u201cDigital identity is a major focus for TBD, a part of Block that is building decentralized technologies,\u201d the release said. \u201cBuilding on open standards from the W3C, the OpenID Foundation, the Decentralized Identity Foundation, and others, TBD and its partners are developing digital identity technology that will give individuals greater control over their online identity and data while making the financial system more efficient, secure, and accessible.\u201d
\nIn addition to Block, other participants in the project include the motor vehicle departments of California, New York and Maryland, JP Morgan Chase, Microsoft, Wells Fargo and the\u00a0Department of Homeland Security\u2019s Science and Technology Directorate, NIST said last week.
\nPYMNTS spoke last year with Mike Brock, CEO of TBD, about the company\u2019s efforts in the digital identity space.
\n\u201cWe never really thought about, what does it mean to identify a person on the internet in a way that is portable,\u201d Brock said. \u201cNothing is really practicable without a strong way to do identity \u2026 you have to know who people are, and you have to know who you can trust. All the roads in are around digital identity.\u201d
\nAnd as noted here earlier this year, there are now more than 20 states working toward adopting mobile driver\u2019s licenses for their residents, while Arizona, Colorado, Georgia and Maryland support mobile IDs on the iPhone\u2019s Apple Wallet. And TSA has piloted a program for accepting digital IDs, and even touchless biometric access, at some airports.
\nThe post Block Joins NIST Program to Promote Mobile Driver\u2019s Licenses appeared first on PYMNTS.com.
\n", "content_text": "Block is working with the U.S. government to promote the use of digital identity tools.\nThe FinTech conglomerate announced Thursday (Aug. 29) that it was working with the National Cybersecurity Center of Excellence (NCCoE), a division of the Commerce Department\u2019s National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), to identify standards for mobile driver\u2019s licenses, or MDLs.\n\u201cWhether boarding a plane, creating a bank account, or making an online purchase, mobile driver\u2019s licenses and other digital credentials have the potential to improve the way we conduct transactions, both in person and online,\u201d said Bill Fisher, co-lead of the NIST mDL project.\n\u201cTo help realize this potential, the NCCoE is collaborating with more than a dozen partners from across the mDL ecosystem to build out reference implementations and to accelerate the adoption of mDL standards and best practices,\u201d Fisher added.\nAccording to a news release, Block is part of a consortium of companies involved in the project, and will lobby for the implementation of \u201cestablished, open standards\u201d for digital identity tools, which the company says allow for greater transparency and security while reducing the risk that consumers will be wedded to proprietary systems from individual vendors.\n\u201cDigital identity is a major focus for TBD, a part of Block that is building decentralized technologies,\u201d the release said. \u201cBuilding on open standards from the W3C, the OpenID Foundation, the Decentralized Identity Foundation, and others, TBD and its partners are developing digital identity technology that will give individuals greater control over their online identity and data while making the financial system more efficient, secure, and accessible.\u201d\nIn addition to Block, other participants in the project include the motor vehicle departments of California, New York and Maryland, JP Morgan Chase, Microsoft, Wells Fargo and the\u00a0Department of Homeland Security\u2019s Science and Technology Directorate, NIST said last week.\nPYMNTS spoke last year with Mike Brock, CEO of TBD, about the company\u2019s efforts in the digital identity space.\n\u201cWe never really thought about, what does it mean to identify a person on the internet in a way that is portable,\u201d Brock said. \u201cNothing is really practicable without a strong way to do identity \u2026 you have to know who people are, and you have to know who you can trust. All the roads in are around digital identity.\u201d\nAnd as noted here earlier this year, there are now more than 20 states working toward adopting mobile driver\u2019s licenses for their residents, while Arizona, Colorado, Georgia and Maryland support mobile IDs on the iPhone\u2019s Apple Wallet. And TSA has piloted a program for accepting digital IDs, and even touchless biometric access, at some airports.\nThe post Block Joins NIST Program to Promote Mobile Driver\u2019s Licenses appeared first on PYMNTS.com.", "date_published": "2024-08-29T14:26:30-04:00", "date_modified": "2024-08-29T14:26:30-04:00", "authors": [ { "name": "PYMNTS", "url": "https://www.pymnts.com/author/pymnts/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/f05cc0fdcc9e387e4f3570c17158c503?s=512&d=blank&r=g" } ], "author": { "name": "PYMNTS", "url": "https://www.pymnts.com/author/pymnts/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/f05cc0fdcc9e387e4f3570c17158c503?s=512&d=blank&r=g" }, "image": "https://www.pymnts.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/mobile-drivers-license-digital-identity.jpg", "tags": [ "Block", "digital ID", "Digital Identity", "digitial identity", "ID verification", "identity verification", "mobile drivers licenses", "Mobile Wallets", "News", "NIST", "PYMNTS News", "What's Hot" ] }, { "id": "https://www.pymnts.com/?p=1965319", "url": "https://www.pymnts.com/digital-identity/2024/eu-continues-testing-digital-identity-wallets/", "title": "EU Continues Testing Digital Identity Wallets", "content_html": "The European Union (EU) is getting closer to rolling out its digital identity wallet.
\nAs the European Commission (EC) noted on its website recently, the wallet \u201cwill be a secure and easy way for European citizens, residents and businesses to prove who they are when accessing digital services,\u201d letting them \u201csafely obtain, store and share important digital documents about yourself and electronically sign or seal documents.\u201d
\nThe wallets, the website noted, will make it easier to safely provide documents to open a bank account, enroll in school overseas or apply for jobs.
\nThe program comes in the wake of Europe\u2019s Digital Identity Regulation, which came into force in May 2024, and is designed to \u201cenable the digital transformation of the public sector, allowing for more services to be accessed digitally, including across borders.\u201d
\nIn the meantime, the EC has been conducting pilot programs \u2014 set to wrap up next year \u2014 that explore the various use cases for the wallets. These include payments, as the wallets are designed to offer users a single way to identify themselves to all your bank accounts and authorize transactions.
\nThe EC\u2019s efforts are happening at a moment when the intertwined future of biometrics and digital identity has begun to transform payments, as noted here earlier this month.
\n\u201cAs digital wallets increasingly gain traction, the security features driving their use are emerging as components shaping the future of both commerce and authentication,\u201d that report said.
\n\u201cWith the European Union\u2019s eIDAS 2.0 (electronic identification, authentication and trust services) regulation 2026 compliance deadline approaching, using the intersection of digital ID and biometrics to provide enhanced security, improved user experiences and greater fraud prevention is top of mind for the payments industry.\u201d
\nResearch from the PYMNTS Intelligence report \u201cDigital Bill Payments: Mobile Wallets Gain Popularity, but Hurdles Remain\u201d found that 60% of consumers used mobile wallets to pay their bills in 2023, up 22% from the year before.
\n\u201cWith the world that we live in, digital identities are becoming more used than physical driver\u2019s licenses or physical passports,\u201d ACI Worldwide Global Fraud Prevention Risk Services Vice President Erika Dietrich told PYMNTS in September.
\nStill, for biometric-enabled digital IDs \u2014 and the wallets holding them \u2014 to gain broad acceptance, complex standards must be introduced that ensure interoperability and trust, PYMNTS wrote.
\n\u201cBiometric authentication, while it exists for other aspects of our lives, is not a huge thing at this stage for payments \u2014 but as far as payments goes, it is the future,\u201d Marc Hopkins, vice president at E-Complish, said in an interview here last month.
\nThe post EU Continues Testing Digital Identity Wallets appeared first on PYMNTS.com.
\n", "content_text": "The European Union (EU) is getting closer to rolling out its digital identity wallet.\nAs the European Commission (EC) noted on its website recently, the wallet \u201cwill be a secure and easy way for European citizens, residents and businesses to prove who they are when accessing digital services,\u201d letting them \u201csafely obtain, store and share important digital documents about yourself and electronically sign or seal documents.\u201d\nThe wallets, the website noted, will make it easier to safely provide documents to open a bank account, enroll in school overseas or apply for jobs.\nThe program comes in the wake of Europe\u2019s Digital Identity Regulation, which came into force in May 2024, and is designed to \u201cenable the digital transformation of the public sector, allowing for more services to be accessed digitally, including across borders.\u201d\nIn the meantime, the EC has been conducting pilot programs \u2014 set to wrap up next year \u2014 that explore the various use cases for the wallets. These include payments, as the wallets are designed to offer users a single way to identify themselves to all your bank accounts and authorize transactions.\nThe EC\u2019s efforts are happening at a moment when the intertwined future of biometrics and digital identity has begun to transform payments, as noted here earlier this month.\n\u201cAs digital wallets increasingly gain traction, the security features driving their use are emerging as components shaping the future of both commerce and authentication,\u201d that report said.\n\u201cWith the European Union\u2019s eIDAS 2.0 (electronic identification, authentication and trust services) regulation 2026 compliance deadline approaching, using the intersection of digital ID and biometrics to provide enhanced security, improved user experiences and greater fraud prevention is top of mind for the payments industry.\u201d\nResearch from the PYMNTS Intelligence report \u201cDigital Bill Payments: Mobile Wallets Gain Popularity, but Hurdles Remain\u201d found that 60% of consumers used mobile wallets to pay their bills in 2023, up 22% from the year before.\n\u201cWith the world that we live in, digital identities are becoming more used than physical driver\u2019s licenses or physical passports,\u201d ACI Worldwide Global Fraud Prevention Risk Services Vice President Erika Dietrich told PYMNTS in September.\nStill, for biometric-enabled digital IDs \u2014 and the wallets holding them \u2014 to gain broad acceptance, complex standards must be introduced that ensure interoperability and trust, PYMNTS wrote.\n\u201cBiometric authentication, while it exists for other aspects of our lives, is not a huge thing at this stage for payments \u2014 but as far as payments goes, it is the future,\u201d Marc Hopkins, vice president at E-Complish, said in an interview here last month.\nThe post EU Continues Testing Digital Identity Wallets appeared first on PYMNTS.com.", "date_published": "2024-06-23T19:41:40-04:00", "date_modified": "2024-06-23T19:41:40-04:00", "authors": [ { "name": "PYMNTS", "url": "https://www.pymnts.com/author/pymnts/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/f05cc0fdcc9e387e4f3570c17158c503?s=512&d=blank&r=g" } ], "author": { "name": "PYMNTS", "url": "https://www.pymnts.com/author/pymnts/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/f05cc0fdcc9e387e4f3570c17158c503?s=512&d=blank&r=g" }, "image": "https://www.pymnts.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/digital-wallet-Identity.jpg", "tags": [ "authentication", "biometrics", "Digital Identity", "Digital Identity Regulation", "digital wallets", "eiDAS 2.0", "EU Digital Identity Wallet", "EU digital wallet", "Mobile Wallets", "News", "PYMNTS News", "What's Hot" ] }, { "id": "https://www.pymnts.com/?p=1948723", "url": "https://www.pymnts.com/digital-identity/2024/mastercard-african-development-bank-group-provide-digital-identities/", "title": "Mastercard and African Development Bank Group to Provide Digital Identities", "content_html": "Mastercard\u00a0and the\u00a0African Development Bank Group\u00a0formed an alliance to provide digital access to critical services to 100 million people and businesses in Africa over the next\u00a010\u00a0years.
\nThe first efforts of the organizations\u2019\u00a0Mobilizing Access to the Digital Economy (MADE) Alliance: Africa\u00a0will include providing digital identities and access to high-quality seeds and agricultural inputs to 3 million farmers in Kenya, Tanzania and Nigeria, according to a Friday (May 24) press release.
\nFollowing the pilot program launched in partnership with local banks, the alliance plans to expand to the rest of the continents, according to the release.
\n\u201cAcross Africa, people are driving new growth and opportunity, and Mastercard wants to support their success,\u201d Mastercard CEO\u00a0Michael Miebach\u00a0said in the release.
\nOver the next five years, Mastercard will register 15 million users in Africa onto\u00a0Community Pass, its platform that digitizes and connects remote, underserved communities to governments, nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) and the private sector, per the release.
\nThe African Development Bank Group will support programs of the MADE Alliance: Africa by investing $300 million to fund digital infrastructure and incentivize public and private partners to enhance digital access, according to the release.
\nDigitalization will increase\u00a0the adoption of agricultural technologies and increase\u00a0the incomes of African smallholder farmers, African Development Bank Group President Dr.\u00a0Akinwumi A. Adesina\u00a0said in the release.
\n\u201cJoining the Mobilizing Access to the Digital Economy Alliance: Africa will amplify and multiply the impact of the bank\u2019s investments to build sustainable, climate-smart food systems across the continent,\u201d Adesina said.
\nIn March,\u00a0Mastercard partnered with\u00a0MTN Group Fintech\u00a0to help consumers and small businesses across Africa transact through\u00a0mobile payments.
\nWith this partnership, Mastercard\u2019s technology will support MTN\u2019s FinTech platform, which has 290 million subscribers and 60 million active monthly\u00a0MTN Mobile Money\u00a0wallets.
\nIn January, Mastercard teamed up with banking-as-a-service (BaaS) provider\u00a04thWave\u00a0to streamline\u00a0B2B payment\u00a0flows for businesses in Africa, Europe, the Middle East and Asia.
\nThe\u00a0partnership will use 4thWave\u2019s supply chain finance platform\u00a0for managing\u00a0B2B payments to help\u00a0Mastercard\u2019s commercial customers.
\nThe post Mastercard and African Development Bank Group to Provide Digital Identities appeared first on PYMNTS.com.
\n", "content_text": "Mastercard\u00a0and the\u00a0African Development Bank Group\u00a0formed an alliance to provide digital access to critical services to 100 million people and businesses in Africa over the next\u00a010\u00a0years.\nThe first efforts of the organizations\u2019\u00a0Mobilizing Access to the Digital Economy (MADE) Alliance: Africa\u00a0will include providing digital identities and access to high-quality seeds and agricultural inputs to 3 million farmers in Kenya, Tanzania and Nigeria, according to a Friday (May 24) press release.\nFollowing the pilot program launched in partnership with local banks, the alliance plans to expand to the rest of the continents, according to the release.\n\u201cAcross Africa, people are driving new growth and opportunity, and Mastercard wants to support their success,\u201d Mastercard CEO\u00a0Michael Miebach\u00a0said in the release.\nOver the next five years, Mastercard will register 15 million users in Africa onto\u00a0Community Pass, its platform that digitizes and connects remote, underserved communities to governments, nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) and the private sector, per the release.\nThe African Development Bank Group will support programs of the MADE Alliance: Africa by investing $300 million to fund digital infrastructure and incentivize public and private partners to enhance digital access, according to the release.\nDigitalization will increase\u00a0the adoption of agricultural technologies and increase\u00a0the incomes of African smallholder farmers, African Development Bank Group President Dr.\u00a0Akinwumi A. Adesina\u00a0said in the release.\n\u201cJoining the Mobilizing Access to the Digital Economy Alliance: Africa will amplify and multiply the impact of the bank\u2019s investments to build sustainable, climate-smart food systems across the continent,\u201d Adesina said.\nIn March,\u00a0Mastercard partnered with\u00a0MTN Group Fintech\u00a0to help consumers and small businesses across Africa transact through\u00a0mobile payments.\nWith this partnership, Mastercard\u2019s technology will support MTN\u2019s FinTech platform, which has 290 million subscribers and 60 million active monthly\u00a0MTN Mobile Money\u00a0wallets.\nIn January, Mastercard teamed up with banking-as-a-service (BaaS) provider\u00a04thWave\u00a0to streamline\u00a0B2B payment\u00a0flows for businesses in Africa, Europe, the Middle East and Asia.\nThe\u00a0partnership will use 4thWave\u2019s supply chain finance platform\u00a0for managing\u00a0B2B payments to help\u00a0Mastercard\u2019s commercial customers.\nThe post Mastercard and African Development Bank Group to Provide Digital Identities appeared first on PYMNTS.com.", "date_published": "2024-05-24T10:38:55-04:00", "date_modified": "2024-05-24T10:38:55-04:00", "authors": [ { "name": "PYMNTS", "url": "https://www.pymnts.com/author/pymnts/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/f05cc0fdcc9e387e4f3570c17158c503?s=512&d=blank&r=g" } ], "author": { "name": "PYMNTS", "url": "https://www.pymnts.com/author/pymnts/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/f05cc0fdcc9e387e4f3570c17158c503?s=512&d=blank&r=g" }, "image": "https://www.pymnts.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Mastercard.jpg", "tags": [ "Africa", "African Development Bank Group", "Connected Economy", "Digital Identity", "digital transformation", "EMEA", "international", "MasterCard", "News", "partnerships", "PYMNTS News", "What's Hot" ] }, { "id": "https://www.pymnts.com/?p=1944191", "url": "https://www.pymnts.com/digital-identity/2024/digital-id-startup-humanity-protocol-valued-1-billion-dollars/", "title": "Digital ID Startup Humanity Protocol Valued at $1 Billion", "content_html": "Decentralized identity startup\u00a0Humanity Protocol\u00a0said it is now a $1 billion company.
\nThe firm announced the\u00a0private valuation\u00a0in a Wednesday (May 15) blog post as it revealed the completion of a $30 million seed round. The company said the funding\u00a0will\u00a0help it challenge Sam Altman\u2019s\u00a0Worldcoin\u00a0and accelerate hiring and product development ahead of a \u201cpublic testnet launch\u201d in the second half of the year.
\n\u201cThe world needs a truly self-sovereign identity framework\u00a0that\u00a0is\u00a0built\u00a0on first principles of inclusivity, privacy and decentralization,\u201d Humanity Protocol founder\u00a0Terence Kwok\u00a0said in the post. \u201cProof-of-personhood is a powerful concept, but the solutions\u00a0that exist\u00a0today haven\u2019t seen adoption because onboarding is invasive and high friction.\u201d
\n\u201cHumanity Protocol fixes this,\u201d he added in the post. \u201cWe\u2019re creating a decentralized identity protocol that solves verifiable uniqueness and humanity in a way that protects user privacy and self-ownership of data.\u201d
\nThe company\u2019s proof of humanity (PoH) consensus mechanism makes sure each user\u2019s identity within a decentralized system is unique, thus maintaining the integrity of both online and offline environments by reducing the threat of\u00a0identity fraud\u00a0and a form of cyberattack known as \u201cSybil\u00a0attacks,\u201d according to the post.
\nPoH lets users carry out a variety of transactions like \u201casserting their ownership of real-world assets, accessing restricted services, or proving their education and employment history\u201d without needing to turn over personal information to third parties, the post said.
\n\u201cThe whole\u00a0concept of identity\u00a0is\u00a0starting to become\u00a0more important,\u201d Kwok told Bloomberg Wednesday. \u201cWe look at artificial intelligence. We look at all the deepfake videos that are coming on.\u201d
\nPYMNTS examined the way criminals have used AI and \u201ctwisted it in the service of\u00a0identity\u00a0fraud,\u201d in an interview with\u00a0Prove Identity\u00a0CEO\u00a0Rodger Desai\u00a0posted Wednesday.
\n\u201cSomeone sent me a website where I put in a two-second clip of my voice \u2026 and it had me singing songs,\u201d Desai said. \u201cThe technology\u2019s becoming democratized quickly, and it\u2019s pretty cheap.\u201d
\nDeepfakes represent a growing threat to businesses, he added, noting the phone needs to be the foundation of identity verification because it is\u00a0in\u00a0many cases\u00a0the\u00a0device used to carry out fraud. A jump in\u00a0business identity fraud\u00a0is evidence of the need for a new strategy for authenticating the person sending invoices, phoning in and even texting.
\nThe post Digital ID Startup Humanity Protocol Valued at $1 Billion appeared first on PYMNTS.com.
\n", "content_text": "Decentralized identity startup\u00a0Humanity Protocol\u00a0said it is now a $1 billion company.\nThe firm announced the\u00a0private valuation\u00a0in a Wednesday (May 15) blog post as it revealed the completion of a $30 million seed round. The company said the funding\u00a0will\u00a0help it challenge Sam Altman\u2019s\u00a0Worldcoin\u00a0and accelerate hiring and product development ahead of a \u201cpublic testnet launch\u201d in the second half of the year.\n\u201cThe world needs a truly self-sovereign identity framework\u00a0that\u00a0is\u00a0built\u00a0on first principles of inclusivity, privacy and decentralization,\u201d Humanity Protocol founder\u00a0Terence Kwok\u00a0said in the post. \u201cProof-of-personhood is a powerful concept, but the solutions\u00a0that exist\u00a0today haven\u2019t seen adoption because onboarding is invasive and high friction.\u201d\n\u201cHumanity Protocol fixes this,\u201d he added in the post. \u201cWe\u2019re creating a decentralized identity protocol that solves verifiable uniqueness and humanity in a way that protects user privacy and self-ownership of data.\u201d\nThe company\u2019s proof of humanity (PoH) consensus mechanism makes sure each user\u2019s identity within a decentralized system is unique, thus maintaining the integrity of both online and offline environments by reducing the threat of\u00a0identity fraud\u00a0and a form of cyberattack known as \u201cSybil\u00a0attacks,\u201d according to the post.\nPoH lets users carry out a variety of transactions like \u201casserting their ownership of real-world assets, accessing restricted services, or proving their education and employment history\u201d without needing to turn over personal information to third parties, the post said.\n\u201cThe whole\u00a0concept of identity\u00a0is\u00a0starting to become\u00a0more important,\u201d Kwok told Bloomberg Wednesday. \u201cWe look at artificial intelligence. We look at all the deepfake videos that are coming on.\u201d\nPYMNTS examined the way criminals have used AI and \u201ctwisted it in the service of\u00a0identity\u00a0fraud,\u201d in an interview with\u00a0Prove Identity\u00a0CEO\u00a0Rodger Desai\u00a0posted Wednesday.\n\u201cSomeone sent me a website where I put in a two-second clip of my voice \u2026 and it had me singing songs,\u201d Desai said. \u201cThe technology\u2019s becoming democratized quickly, and it\u2019s pretty cheap.\u201d\nDeepfakes represent a growing threat to businesses, he added, noting the phone needs to be the foundation of identity verification because it is\u00a0in\u00a0many cases\u00a0the\u00a0device used to carry out fraud. A jump in\u00a0business identity fraud\u00a0is evidence of the need for a new strategy for authenticating the person sending invoices, phoning in and even texting.\nThe post Digital ID Startup Humanity Protocol Valued at $1 Billion appeared first on PYMNTS.com.", "date_published": "2024-05-15T11:29:06-04:00", "date_modified": "2024-05-15T11:29:06-04:00", "authors": [ { "name": "PYMNTS", "url": "https://www.pymnts.com/author/pymnts/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/f05cc0fdcc9e387e4f3570c17158c503?s=512&d=blank&r=g" } ], "author": { "name": "PYMNTS", "url": "https://www.pymnts.com/author/pymnts/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/f05cc0fdcc9e387e4f3570c17158c503?s=512&d=blank&r=g" }, "image": "https://www.pymnts.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/digital-identity.jpg", "tags": [ "authentication", "Digital Identity", "funding", "Humanity Protocol", "identity verification", "Investments", "News", "PYMNTS News", "startups", "What's Hot" ] }, { "id": "https://www.pymnts.com/?p=1892079", "url": "https://www.pymnts.com/digital-identity/2024/digital-birth-certificates-expand-range-of-paperless-ids-in-connected-economy/", "title": "Digital Birth Certificates Expand Range of Paperless IDs in Connected Economy", "content_html": "You\u2019ve likely heard of\u00a0digital driver\u2019s licenses,\u00a0digital passports, and\u00a0digital IDs. Now, digital birth certificates are emerging as the latest addition to the digital identity landscape, offering a glimpse into the future of identification and authentication.
\nAn ongoing pilot program in New South Wales (NSW) in Australia is paving the way for over 18,000 children to receive their\u00a0digital birth certificates\u00a0ahead of a broader nationwide implementation.
\nAccording to NSW Registrar of Births, Deaths and Marriages\u2019\u00a0Theresa Fairman, \u201cThe NSW Government has enshrined its equal legal status\u00a0to the paper document, making it easier and more attractive for businesses and other government agencies to come on board and start accepting the digital birth certificate as part of a future rollout.\u201d
\nAdditionally, acting minister for customer service and digital government\u00a0Penny Sharpe\u00a0emphasized the added security benefits of offering birth certificates in digital form, particularly for individuals residing in disaster-prone areas.
\n\u201cThis will be incredibly valuable in times of disaster, giving people one less thing to worry about if their physical birth certificate is damaged or destroyed,\u201d Sharpe said in the report, highlighting potential future applications, ranging from school enrollments to passport applications, that promise secure and convenient digital solutions for various aspects of life.
\nBut beyond the immediate benefits of convenience lies a broader transformation in digital identity management.
\nOne of the most notable advantages of digital birth certificates is their ability to streamline access to essential services and opportunities. With digital records readily available, individuals can enroll in schools, verify their identities with businesses, and access healthcare services with greater ease. Moreover, digital birth certificates promote financial inclusion, enabling easier access to loans and financial products.
\nFurthermore, the interoperability of digital birth certificates holds promise for seamless identity verification across borders. When designed to adhere to standardized protocols, digital birth certificates could facilitate cross-border identity verification, streamlining travel for global citizens.
\nHowever, alongside these opportunities come challenges. As governments transition from traditional paper-based systems to digital platforms for managing birth certificates, they must navigate complex issues surrounding the protection of personal data and safeguarding individuals\u2019 privacy rights.
\nGiven that birth certificates often contain sensitive information such as full names, dates of birth, and even Social Security numbers, any compromise in\u00a0data privacy and security\u00a0could lead to severe consequences, including identity theft and fraud on a large scale.
\nTherefore, ensuring robust identity verification and cybersecurity measures becomes imperative to keep malicious actors from exploiting vulnerabilities in the system, while maintaining public trust in digital identity systems.
\nThe post Digital Birth Certificates Expand Range of Paperless IDs in Connected Economy appeared first on PYMNTS.com.
\n", "content_text": "You\u2019ve likely heard of\u00a0digital driver\u2019s licenses,\u00a0digital passports, and\u00a0digital IDs. Now, digital birth certificates are emerging as the latest addition to the digital identity landscape, offering a glimpse into the future of identification and authentication.\nAn ongoing pilot program in New South Wales (NSW) in Australia is paving the way for over 18,000 children to receive their\u00a0digital birth certificates\u00a0ahead of a broader nationwide implementation.\nAccording to NSW Registrar of Births, Deaths and Marriages\u2019\u00a0Theresa Fairman, \u201cThe NSW Government has enshrined its equal legal status\u00a0to the paper document, making it easier and more attractive for businesses and other government agencies to come on board and start accepting the digital birth certificate as part of a future rollout.\u201d\nAdditionally, acting minister for customer service and digital government\u00a0Penny Sharpe\u00a0emphasized the added security benefits of offering birth certificates in digital form, particularly for individuals residing in disaster-prone areas.\n\u201cThis will be incredibly valuable in times of disaster, giving people one less thing to worry about if their physical birth certificate is damaged or destroyed,\u201d Sharpe said in the report, highlighting potential future applications, ranging from school enrollments to passport applications, that promise secure and convenient digital solutions for various aspects of life.\nBut beyond the immediate benefits of convenience lies a broader transformation in digital identity management.\nOne of the most notable advantages of digital birth certificates is their ability to streamline access to essential services and opportunities. With digital records readily available, individuals can enroll in schools, verify their identities with businesses, and access healthcare services with greater ease. Moreover, digital birth certificates promote financial inclusion, enabling easier access to loans and financial products.\nFurthermore, the interoperability of digital birth certificates holds promise for seamless identity verification across borders. When designed to adhere to standardized protocols, digital birth certificates could facilitate cross-border identity verification, streamlining travel for global citizens.\nHowever, alongside these opportunities come challenges. As governments transition from traditional paper-based systems to digital platforms for managing birth certificates, they must navigate complex issues surrounding the protection of personal data and safeguarding individuals\u2019 privacy rights.\nGiven that birth certificates often contain sensitive information such as full names, dates of birth, and even Social Security numbers, any compromise in\u00a0data privacy and security\u00a0could lead to severe consequences, including identity theft and fraud on a large scale.\nTherefore, ensuring robust identity verification and cybersecurity measures becomes imperative to keep malicious actors from exploiting vulnerabilities in the system, while maintaining public trust in digital identity systems.\nThe post Digital Birth Certificates Expand Range of Paperless IDs in Connected Economy appeared first on PYMNTS.com.", "date_published": "2024-04-21T19:05:02-04:00", "date_modified": "2024-04-21T19:05:02-04:00", "authors": [ { "name": "PYMNTS", "url": "https://www.pymnts.com/author/pymnts/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/f05cc0fdcc9e387e4f3570c17158c503?s=512&d=blank&r=g" } ], "author": { "name": "PYMNTS", "url": "https://www.pymnts.com/author/pymnts/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/f05cc0fdcc9e387e4f3570c17158c503?s=512&d=blank&r=g" }, "image": "https://www.pymnts.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/birth-certificate.jpg", "tags": [ "Connected Economy", "data privacy", "data security", "digital birth certificate", "Digital Identity", "digital transformation", "identity verification", "new south wales", "News", "paperless ID", "Penny Sharpe", "PYMNTS News", "Theresa Fairman" ] }, { "id": "https://www.pymnts.com/?p=1865158", "url": "https://www.pymnts.com/digital-identity/2024/how-solving-for-digital-id-acceptance-could-transform-digital-payments/", "title": "How Solving for Digital ID Acceptance Could Transform Digital Payments", "content_html": "In today\u2019s increasingly digital world, it has gotten to the point where the physical wallet\u2019s main purpose is becoming just to carry physical ID cards.
\nBut, as the rest of the world goes digital, why haven\u2019t IDs followed?
\nThe answer lies in a mix of infrastructure, regulatory, and interoperability challenges \u2014 challenges that are increasingly being challenged themselves by the forward march of digital transformation.
\nThis, as there are now over 20 U.S. states working toward adopting mobile driver\u2019s licenses for their citizens. Already, Arizona, Colorado, Georgia and Maryland support mobile IDs on the iPhone\u2019s Apple Wallet, while the TSA is currently running a pilot program for accepting digital IDs, and even touchless biometric access, at some airports.
\nUtah, California and Iowa have all issued their own form of state-sponsored mobile IDs that run on their own native platforms, versus a third-party digital wallet, and are accepted by the Department of Homeland Security for domestic air travel.
\nThe interest in digital IDs lies in the potential for digitized identity documents to serve as a critical tool in combating 21st century fraud, while providing a more foolproof and secure way of verifying identities across an ever-more digital landscape.
\nThat they can make everyone\u2019s\u2019 lives a little bit easier is both endemic to their use, and an added benefit.
\nRead more: Digital Identity Becomes New Currency as Companies Turn IDs into Payments Credentials
\nThis past August, the National Institute of Standards and Technology\u00a0(NIST) launched the\u00a0Accelerate Adoption of Digital Identities on Mobile Devices initiative, meant to address key questions and challenges endemic to government-issued digital IDs, including a lack of standardization and potential privacy risks.
\nIn an era where digital interactions dominate, establishing trust is paramount. Digital identities, through biometric data and multi-factor authentication, fortify the security of transactions. This not only protects users from identity theft but also strengthens the overall trustworthiness of digital payment systems.
\nAs PYMNTS CEO Karen Webster\u00a0wrote\u00a0Sept. 18, digital transformation is about the physical world becoming an extension of the digital world, not a bolt-on or a separate channel that is the stutter step to the analog processes that define business today.\u00a0That\u2019s what makes digital IDs so crucial.
\nWithin the context of payments, digital identities can help play the crucial role of verifying the identity of individuals and enabling trust between peers, reducing fraud and ensuring compliance with financial regulations.
\nThe technology, after all, is there for digital IDs to scale. The adoption piece is what needs to be solved for.
\n\u201cWe never really thought about, what does it mean to identify a person on the internet in a way that is portable \u2026 Nothing is really practicable without a strong way to do identity \u2026 you have to know who people are, and you have to know who you can trust. All the roads in are around digital identity,\u201d Mike Brock, CEO of\u00a0TBD, a business from\u00a0Block, told PYMNTS in November.
\nSee also: Network Tokenization and Digital Identities Are Quietly Transforming Payment Security
\nStill, for digital IDs to make a dent in the mountain of paper and plastic documents that currently serve as the primary means of governmental identity, they will need to overcome entrenched behavioral preferences and fears about the safety of personally identifiable information (PII).
\nIt\u2019s a situation familiar in the payments landscape, where paper checks and even cash are still widely used despite the benefits and conveniences of digital transactions.
\n\u201cWe still have to have a\u00a0lockbox\u00a0for checks, you still have people out there doing things on carbon copy paper and writing it down, and the thing about payments is everyone still wants to do it every way,\u201d\u00a0Jordan Wagner, vice president and general manager at\u00a0Torque by Ryder, told PYMNTS in an interview posted in July. \u201cWe\u2019re really trying to get away from phone calls and checks, but the reality is that in this space, there are still plenty of people who want to do it the old-fashioned way. The old channels are still very, very prevalent,\u201d
\nStill, the learnings from each sector \u2014 payments and identity \u2014 can, in an ideal world, reinforce each other as both seek broader adoption.
\n\u201cWith the world that we live in, digital identities are\u00a0becoming more used\u00a0than physical driver\u2019s licenses or physical passports,\u201d\u00a0ACI Worldwide Global Fraud Prevention Risk Services VP Erika Dietrich told PYMNTS.
\nThe post How Solving for Digital ID Acceptance Could Transform Digital Payments appeared first on PYMNTS.com.
\n", "content_text": "In today\u2019s increasingly digital world, it has gotten to the point where the physical wallet\u2019s main purpose is becoming just to carry physical ID cards.\nBut, as the rest of the world goes digital, why haven\u2019t IDs followed?\nThe answer lies in a mix of infrastructure, regulatory, and interoperability challenges \u2014 challenges that are increasingly being challenged themselves by the forward march of digital transformation.\nThis, as there are now over 20 U.S. states working toward adopting mobile driver\u2019s licenses for their citizens. Already, Arizona, Colorado, Georgia and Maryland support mobile IDs on the iPhone\u2019s Apple Wallet, while the TSA is currently running a pilot program for accepting digital IDs, and even touchless biometric access, at some airports.\nUtah, California and Iowa have all issued their own form of state-sponsored mobile IDs that run on their own native platforms, versus a third-party digital wallet, and are accepted by the Department of Homeland Security for domestic air travel.\nThe interest in digital IDs lies in the potential for digitized identity documents to serve as a critical tool in combating 21st century fraud, while providing a more foolproof and secure way of verifying identities across an ever-more digital landscape.\nThat they can make everyone\u2019s\u2019 lives a little bit easier is both endemic to their use, and an added benefit.\nRead more: Digital Identity Becomes New Currency as Companies Turn IDs into Payments Credentials\nSecurity Documents Are Stuck on Paper \u2014 Are Digital IDs the Cure?\nThis past August, the National Institute of Standards and Technology\u00a0(NIST) launched the\u00a0Accelerate Adoption of Digital Identities on Mobile Devices initiative, meant to address key questions and challenges endemic to government-issued digital IDs, including a lack of standardization and potential privacy risks.\nIn an era where digital interactions dominate, establishing trust is paramount. Digital identities, through biometric data and multi-factor authentication, fortify the security of transactions. This not only protects users from identity theft but also strengthens the overall trustworthiness of digital payment systems.\nAs PYMNTS CEO Karen Webster\u00a0wrote\u00a0Sept. 18, digital transformation is about the physical world becoming an extension of the digital world, not a bolt-on or a separate channel that is the stutter step to the analog processes that define business today.\u00a0That\u2019s what makes digital IDs so crucial.\nWithin the context of payments, digital identities can help play the crucial role of verifying the identity of individuals and enabling trust between peers, reducing fraud and ensuring compliance with financial regulations.\nThe technology, after all, is there for digital IDs to scale. The adoption piece is what needs to be solved for.\n\u201cWe never really thought about, what does it mean to identify a person on the internet in a way that is portable \u2026 Nothing is really practicable without a strong way to do identity \u2026 you have to know who people are, and you have to know who you can trust. All the roads in are around digital identity,\u201d Mike Brock, CEO of\u00a0TBD, a business from\u00a0Block, told PYMNTS in November.\nSee also: Network Tokenization and Digital Identities Are Quietly Transforming Payment Security\nDigital IDs Make Sense, But Can They Scale?\nStill, for digital IDs to make a dent in the mountain of paper and plastic documents that currently serve as the primary means of governmental identity, they will need to overcome entrenched behavioral preferences and fears about the safety of personally identifiable information (PII).\nIt\u2019s a situation familiar in the payments landscape, where paper checks and even cash are still widely used despite the benefits and conveniences of digital transactions.\n\u201cWe still have to have a\u00a0lockbox\u00a0for checks, you still have people out there doing things on carbon copy paper and writing it down, and the thing about payments is everyone still wants to do it every way,\u201d\u00a0Jordan Wagner, vice president and general manager at\u00a0Torque by Ryder, told PYMNTS in an interview posted in July. \u201cWe\u2019re really trying to get away from phone calls and checks, but the reality is that in this space, there are still plenty of people who want to do it the old-fashioned way. The old channels are still very, very prevalent,\u201d\nStill, the learnings from each sector \u2014 payments and identity \u2014 can, in an ideal world, reinforce each other as both seek broader adoption.\n\u201cWith the world that we live in, digital identities are\u00a0becoming more used\u00a0than physical driver\u2019s licenses or physical passports,\u201d\u00a0ACI Worldwide Global Fraud Prevention Risk Services VP Erika Dietrich told PYMNTS.\nThe post How Solving for Digital ID Acceptance Could Transform Digital Payments appeared first on PYMNTS.com.", "date_published": "2024-02-27T12:39:13-05:00", "date_modified": "2024-02-27T12:39:13-05:00", "authors": [ { "name": "PYMNTS", "url": "https://www.pymnts.com/author/pymnts/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/f05cc0fdcc9e387e4f3570c17158c503?s=512&d=blank&r=g" } ], "author": { "name": "PYMNTS", "url": "https://www.pymnts.com/author/pymnts/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/f05cc0fdcc9e387e4f3570c17158c503?s=512&d=blank&r=g" }, "image": "https://www.pymnts.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/digital-ID-acceptance.jpg", "tags": [ "Department of Homeland Security", "digital ID", "Digital Identity", "digital transformation", "mobile driver's license", "News", "PYMNTS News", "Security", "TSA", "Wallets" ] }, { "id": "https://www.pymnts.com/?p=1656390", "url": "https://www.pymnts.com/digital-identity/2024/virtual-student-ids-enhance-connected-campus-experience-with-added-security-convenience/", "title": "Virtual Student IDs Enhance Connected Campus Experience With Added Security, Convenience", "content_html": "The pandemic\u2019s push towards online learning not only accelerated the integration of online payment platforms and cashless transactions in higher education but also catalyzed the broader transformation of the connected campus.\u00a0
\nThis shift has prompted colleges and universities to invest significantly in\u00a0automation\u00a0and advanced mobile systems, not just to upgrade\u00a0security measures\u00a0but also to accommodate students\u2019 preference for smartphones as their primary payment method.
\nThis evolution reflects a necessary adjustment from traditional university models towards digital solutions that align with students\u2019 evolving behaviors and preferences.
\nAs detailed in the \u201cThe Automated Campus: Enabling the Future of Higher Education,\u201d a collaboration between PYMNTS Intelligence and American Express, the most essential features and functions students value in their college app are payment management; a streamlined, all-in-one app; checking and updating finances; and using the app as a virtual ID card.\u00a0
\nAdditionally, more than half of the students surveyed also cited the importance of features like receiving refunds, class check-ins, and access to buildings or doors, underscoring the growing significance of mobile automation in creating a secure and convenient campus experience.\u00a0
\n
Virtual student IDs, in particular, are gaining popularity, granting students access to buildings and enabling payments for meals, parking, books, supplies and laundry, effectively eliminating the need for cash or credit cards.\u00a0
\nAs further evidence of the growing trend, Drake University in Iowa is set to introduce a virtual student ID program this spring, becoming the first college or university in the state to offer mobile credentials to students,\u00a0The Times-Delphic, the institution\u2019s student newspaper,\u00a0reported\u00a0last month.
\nThe virtual IDs will be compatible with a wide range of Apple iPhone and watch models, along with several Android phone and watch models. Using the school\u2019s Transact eAccounts app, students can add their mobile credentials to a single phone and smartwatch, giving them access to a multitude of campus amenities, spanning doors, printers, dining areas, and even popular spots like Starbucks, the report noted.
\n\u201cOur students live in an era and a date and time where having information on your phone, having your Apple Pay or credit cards or even plane tickets on your phone is just normal.\u201d Director of Public Safety Scott Law said of the campus-wide program launch. \u201cWe realize this is the way of the future, this is where people are going.\u201d
\nITS Project Manager Jeff Regan added: \u201cFrom a functionality perspective, printing physical cards and supporting card printing software and machines is an art that is going away. As we see a higher adoption rate for mobile IDs across campus […] we expect to see an ease and improvement from a user experience perspective […].\u201d
\nDrake University is not the first U.S. educational institution to implement virtual IDs. Since 2018, Apple Wallet has facilitated contactless student IDs in several universities nationwide including Northern Arizona University, University of Maine and New Mexico State University.
\nNotably, the University of Alabama, an early participant in the program, exclusively issued mobile student IDs to eligible device users in the fall of 2021, with Android phone owners able to access the digital cards through Google Pay, The Verge\u00a0reported\u00a0at the time.
\nThis widespread adoption of automation, virtual student IDs and advanced mobile systems goes to show that the concept of the connected campus is no longer a distant vision but a reality being embraced by colleges and universities across the United States.
\nAnd with the higher-education software market projected to hit $169.7 billion by 2030, per PYMNTS Intelligence, campuses are poised to evolve into more interconnected and efficient hubs, optimizing operations, resource utilization and significantly enriching the educational experience for today\u2019s students.
\nThe post Virtual Student IDs Enhance Connected Campus Experience With Added Security, Convenience appeared first on PYMNTS.com.
\n", "content_text": "The pandemic\u2019s push towards online learning not only accelerated the integration of online payment platforms and cashless transactions in higher education but also catalyzed the broader transformation of the connected campus.\u00a0\nThis shift has prompted colleges and universities to invest significantly in\u00a0automation\u00a0and advanced mobile systems, not just to upgrade\u00a0security measures\u00a0but also to accommodate students\u2019 preference for smartphones as their primary payment method.\nThis evolution reflects a necessary adjustment from traditional university models towards digital solutions that align with students\u2019 evolving behaviors and preferences.\nAs detailed in the \u201cThe Automated Campus: Enabling the Future of Higher Education,\u201d a collaboration between PYMNTS Intelligence and American Express, the most essential features and functions students value in their college app are payment management; a streamlined, all-in-one app; checking and updating finances; and using the app as a virtual ID card.\u00a0\nAdditionally, more than half of the students surveyed also cited the importance of features like receiving refunds, class check-ins, and access to buildings or doors, underscoring the growing significance of mobile automation in creating a secure and convenient campus experience.\u00a0\n\nVirtual student IDs, in particular, are gaining popularity, granting students access to buildings and enabling payments for meals, parking, books, supplies and laundry, effectively eliminating the need for cash or credit cards.\u00a0\nAs further evidence of the growing trend, Drake University in Iowa is set to introduce a virtual student ID program this spring, becoming the first college or university in the state to offer mobile credentials to students,\u00a0The Times-Delphic, the institution\u2019s student newspaper,\u00a0reported\u00a0last month.\nThe virtual IDs will be compatible with a wide range of Apple iPhone and watch models, along with several Android phone and watch models. Using the school\u2019s Transact eAccounts app, students can add their mobile credentials to a single phone and smartwatch, giving them access to a multitude of campus amenities, spanning doors, printers, dining areas, and even popular spots like Starbucks, the report noted.\n\u201cOur students live in an era and a date and time where having information on your phone, having your Apple Pay or credit cards or even plane tickets on your phone is just normal.\u201d Director of Public Safety Scott Law said of the campus-wide program launch. \u201cWe realize this is the way of the future, this is where people are going.\u201d\nITS Project Manager Jeff Regan added: \u201cFrom a functionality perspective, printing physical cards and supporting card printing software and machines is an art that is going away. As we see a higher adoption rate for mobile IDs across campus […] we expect to see an ease and improvement from a user experience perspective […].\u201d\nDrake University is not the first U.S. educational institution to implement virtual IDs. Since 2018, Apple Wallet has facilitated contactless student IDs in several universities nationwide including Northern Arizona University, University of Maine and New Mexico State University.\nNotably, the University of Alabama, an early participant in the program, exclusively issued mobile student IDs to eligible device users in the fall of 2021, with Android phone owners able to access the digital cards through Google Pay, The Verge\u00a0reported\u00a0at the time.\nThis widespread adoption of automation, virtual student IDs and advanced mobile systems goes to show that the concept of the connected campus is no longer a distant vision but a reality being embraced by colleges and universities across the United States.\nAnd with the higher-education software market projected to hit $169.7 billion by 2030, per PYMNTS Intelligence, campuses are poised to evolve into more interconnected and efficient hubs, optimizing operations, resource utilization and significantly enriching the educational experience for today\u2019s students.\nThe post Virtual Student IDs Enhance Connected Campus Experience With Added Security, Convenience appeared first on PYMNTS.com.", "date_published": "2024-01-08T19:07:38-05:00", "date_modified": "2024-01-08T19:07:38-05:00", "authors": [ { "name": "PYMNTS", "url": "https://www.pymnts.com/author/pymnts/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/f05cc0fdcc9e387e4f3570c17158c503?s=512&d=blank&r=g" } ], "author": { "name": "PYMNTS", "url": "https://www.pymnts.com/author/pymnts/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/f05cc0fdcc9e387e4f3570c17158c503?s=512&d=blank&r=g" }, "image": "https://www.pymnts.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Student-ID-virtual-ID-digital-identity-university.jpg", "tags": [ "Connected Economy", "Digital Identity", "Drake University", "Education", "higher education", "Mobile Wallets", "News", "PYMNTS News", "student IDs", "virtual ID" ] } ] }