eID: Identity Management in an Online World

Reliable electronic identity (eID) lies at the core of delivering successful, trustworthy online government services. Yet in the move away from paperand documentary-based forms of face-to-face identity management complex questions arise, such as “How can any user’s true identity be proven?” This paper discusses proposed ‘laws’ for identity. It outlines a need for eID models that recognise the need for both integration and federation. And it looks at various national eID programmes, examining in particular the Belgian eID card and the proposed UK National Identity Card, summarising the extent to which these developments appear to conform to the proposed laws of identity. In a European context, federated trust approaches for user identity management are emerging as a compelling model – one that matches local, regional, national and international aspirations with the need for cross-issuer trust and recognition. An outline model of a federated user identity management framework is discussed that aims to tackle some of the most common issues facing online government services (both internal and cross-boundary). The paper concludes by outlining options for the evolution of improved eID frameworks.