An Architecture for Identity Management (August 2004)

Personalization of on-line content by on-line businesses can improve a user’s experience and increase a business’s chance of making a sale, but with stricter privacy legislation and Internet users’ increasing concerns about privacy, businesses need to ensure they do not violate laws or frighten away potential customers. This paper describes the design of the proposed Identity Management Architecture (IMA). The IMA system allows users to decide on a per business basis what personal information is provided, gives users greater access to their personal information held by on-line businesses, and does not rely on a trusted third-party for management of personal information.