Kia ora,
If Tina had been in the Oceania Room at Te Papa Tongarewa last Tuesday, and for the two Digital Trust Hui Taumata that preceded it, like some of you were, I think this would have been her observation. It certainly was for another singer. The buzz in the room was palpable from the very start. Compared to the previous two years, this event saw increased attendance (214 registered, 202 in the room), more international and local speakers, and an increase in panels and roundtable discussions. It’s tangible evidence that Digital Trust is entering the consciousness of more people, accompanied by a desire to ‘get stuff done’. To that end – amongst several other great presentations, panels and exhibits of things currently in progress for those that wish to opt-in – NZTA showcased its NZTA vehicle status app, DINZ member Worldline walked us through its Digital Identity Acceptance Network at POS terminals, and DINZ member Xebo demonstrated the application of its information assurance platform for a document (quote) using verifiable credentials in the exhibition area. We are hugely grateful to the Hui’s partners, speakers and panellists, without whom this fantastic event would not have been possible.
Awareness and education play the most critical role in people’s adoption of these new services. In their absence, misinformation and disinformation fill the vacuum. A case in point is the jaw-dropping statistic from DINZ’s research published last year regarding the extent to which organisations are trusted to protect identity and use personal data responsibly. Government agencies only scored 51%. And yet, OPC’s Approved Information Sharing list is much more limited and evidentially contradicts the surveillance conspiracies that swirl around the internet.
Similarly with the opt-in Digital Identity Services Trust Framework, where it’s not widely known that it’s primarily targeted at service providers to help keep their clients’ (you and me) information private and secure from fraudsters by introducing best practices, such as adopting protected reusable verifiable credentials that you decide who gets to see – so you are not forced to hand over documents to all and sundry for copying, which carry the risk of targeted data theft.
In my closing remarks at the Hui, I asked each attendee to consider what single action they can undertake right now to improve Digital Trust in Aotearoa. And I’m asking again here. There is a private-sector-initiated awareness and education module all set to go. Will your organisation step up to its corporate social responsibility in this domain and help sponsor it? Reach out to me if you’re interested to know more.
Lastly, please take some time to listen to the first of DINZ’s new podcast series, Digital Identity in Focus here. And if you’re interested in collaborating on a brief submission on the CPD Bill, please contact me here.
Ngā mihi Colin Wallis
Executive Director, Digital Identity NZ
Read full news here: ‘Simply the Best’ | August Newsletter
