Identity infrastructure in the UK is a complete mess. Why don’t we think again about what we actually want identity to do in a digital age and then start designing a system to do it. Maybe some kind of digital passport would be a start.
There are renewed calls for online voting at a near-future general election in the UK, but as we discussed at the UnConference this year. Even if we knew what problem this is supposed to fix, I suspect it would still be the wrong answer.
The “Internet of Things” is going to be huge. There’s no doubt about it. But until there’s a practical identity infrastructure in place it can never deliver on its promises.
The nearest small mammal to hand, our cat, feigns disinterest. However, from her appearance next to my keyboard, I confidently predict six more years of crap “security” for online services.
The relationship between the blockchain and the internet of things may turn out to be especially rich because the blockchain means that the virtual world can be constrained to be like the physical world.
Customer recognition is in a mess, but I’m hopeful that that organisations will begin to use the mobile phone in a consistent way to fix the problem.
I don’t know whether we need a real names system but we do need a real reputation system. Maybe this is where banks can find a role in the new economy.
I know who Paul Calf is and I definitely recognised him. I know who Oprah is, although I might not recognise her. I don’t know who William is, and I definitely won’t recognise him. They all want good service though.
A special guest post from Consult Hyperion Associate Victoria Richardson. As she points out with this vivid example, sometimes money can be the new identity.
Identity fraud isn’t only about people. It’s also about things. And there are some pretty big things out there (e.g., oil tankers) that are lying about their identity.
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