Digital Identity
Research on privacy-preserving identity systems, authentication standards, and governance frameworks to ensure digital identity solutions respect human autonomy and rights.
Research Overview
The Digital Identity research area examines the technical, ethical, and governance dimensions of systems that establish and verify identity in digital contexts. As digital identity becomes increasingly central to participation in society, understanding how to design systems that are secure, privacy-preserving, and inclusive becomes essential for ensuring human autonomy and rights.
Our research in this area spans technical architectures, governance frameworks, and implementation models, with a particular focus on:
- Privacy-Preserving Architectures: Developing technical approaches to digital identity that protect privacy while enabling secure authentication and verification.
- Self-Sovereign Identity: Exploring models that give individuals control over their identity data, including decentralized and user-centric approaches.
- Inclusive Identity Systems: Ensuring digital identity solutions are accessible and beneficial to all populations, including marginalized and vulnerable groups.
- Governance Frameworks: Developing policy and regulatory approaches that balance security, privacy, and inclusion in digital identity systems.
Current Projects
Privacy-Preserving Identity Architecture
Development of technical architectures for digital identity that protect privacy while enabling secure authentication and verification, with a focus on minimizing data collection and exposure.
Self-Sovereign Identity Implementation Models
Research on practical implementation models for self-sovereign identity, examining different technical approaches and their implications for user control and system interoperability.
Inclusive Digital Identity Initiative
A collaborative project examining how digital identity systems can be designed to be inclusive and beneficial for all populations, with a focus on marginalized and vulnerable groups.
Digital Identity Governance Framework
Development of policy and regulatory frameworks for digital identity that balance security, privacy, and inclusion, with practical guidance for implementation in different contexts.
Research Methodology
Our research in this area employs a multidisciplinary approach, combining:
- Technical Research: Development and evaluation of technical architectures and protocols for digital identity, with a focus on privacy, security, and usability.
- Policy Analysis: Examination of existing and potential governance frameworks for digital identity, including laws, regulations, and standards.
- Case Studies: In-depth analysis of digital identity implementations in different contexts, examining their impacts and lessons learned.
- Participatory Research: Collaborative work with diverse stakeholders, including potential users of digital identity systems, to ensure inclusive perspectives.
Featured Publication
Privacy-Preserving Digital Identity: Technical Architectures and Standards
This comprehensive report provides a systematic overview of technical approaches to privacy-preserving digital identity, with detailed analysis of different architectures and standards and their implications for privacy, security, and usability.
Read the report