We are happy to announce a new research grant on Digital Identities at the Centre for Internet and Society (CIS). This grant is supported by Omidyar Network, as part of a three region alliance to be co-led by the Institute for Technology & Society (ITS), Brazil, the Centre for Intellectual Property and Information Technology Law (CIPIT), Kenya, and the CIS, India — on the Appropriate Use of Digital Identity. As part of this Alliance, we at the CIS will look at the policy objectives of digital identity projects, how technological policy choices can be thought through to meet the objectives, and how legitimate uses of a digital identity framework may be evaluated.

There is significant momentum on creation of digital identity projects especially after the adoption of UN Sustainable Development Goal 16.9, which calls for legal identity for all by 2030. Given the importance of this subject, its implications for both the development agenda as well its impact on civil, social and economic rights, there is a need for more focused research that can enable policymakers to take better decisions, guide civil society in different jurisdictions to comment on and raise questions about digital identity schemes, and provide actionable material to the industry to create identity solutions that are privacy enhancing and inclusive. We look forward to producing research that can contribute to the above.

Read the blog post by Subhashish Bhadra (Principal, Investments, Omidyar Network) announcing the three-region research alliance on the appropriate use of digital identity.