Welcome to the last DINZ newsletter of the 2020 (Gregorian) calendar year.

Next week we’re celebrating our first Aotearoa Digital Identity Hui Taumata. We’re particularly excited to be bringing you a Kapa Kōrero session with Kaye-Maree Dunne, Jane-Renee Retimana, Belinda Allen and Ben Tairea. The quartet will be exploring perspectives from Te Ao Māori, and the relevance of Te Tiriti in our collective work on digital identity.

A big mihi to Janelle for her gift of words in our last newsletter, celebrating te wiki o Te Reo Māori. And thank you all for your kind words and encouragement in support of the message.

Anei mātou te hāpori o Digital Identity NZ e mihi ana ki a koutou i tēnei wiki hirahira, ko te wiki o Te Reo Māori. Arohatia te reo, kia kaha te reo Māori! Warmest greetings to you all during te wiki o Te Reo Māori.

In the last month we have shared with you our latest research findings on Digital Identity and Trust, and just last week the DIA’s DITP team shared with us their exciting news on the formal development of a Digital Identity Trust Framework, see the webinar recording here for Aotearoa/New Zealand.

Trust is fundamental and foundational to the success of digital identity.

dentity is an explicit target in the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (Target 16.9: By 2030, provide legal identity for all, including birth registration).

This week we are kicking off our second annual benchmark research on digital identity and trust. Our first report found that 79% of the over 1,000 people surveyed were concerned about the protection of their digital identity and personal information, 85% feel there is a lack of transparency about data use and 82% were concerned about having to share information with a multitude of companies.

There is much to appreciate in the clever technologies that some very smart people have nurtured over the years. We’re seeing an explosion of video-based conference calls, team meetings and webinars keeping many of the wheels of business turning. We’re also seeing an equally impressive explosion of human connection through the windows of our computer screens - virtual coffee mornings, quiz sessions, lunch dates and evening drinks have kept us connected and allowed for an impressive expression of individuality when it comes to choice of outfits and virtual backgrounds. ‘Who would have thought?’ innovations are happening all around us.

International Women’s Day was celebrated earlier this month. I was fortunate to participate in a number of events highlighting some incredible and inspiring wahine toa.

Reliance and trust are essential in the world of digital identity. It is fundamental when people give their identity information to those that receive it, and it also extends to the relationship between different organisations, technology and service providers who play a part.

‘Trust, but verify’ was a favourite saying of Ronald Reagan, and interestingly (given his era) was adapted from a Russian proverb.