Digital identity and public digital systems
Digital identity and public digital systems provide the means for people and organisations to prove who they are and access services online. They underpin social protection, financial inclusion and emergency assistance. Digital Public Infrastructure stewards this page for the Nexus Consortium.
- 01In briefThe short answer
- 02The methodWhat digital identity and public digital systems covers
- 03Reference practiceDigital identity is guided by inclusion and security principles
- 04In systemic risk workIdentity as the gate to services
- 05Applied inPlatforms that apply this method
- 06StewardshipWho maintains this page
- 07Key termsTerms used on this page
GCRI · Institution · service level R0
The short answer.
Digital identity and public digital systems provide the means for people and organisations to prove who they are and access services online. Digital identity systems determine how quickly aid and payments reach people after shocks. In the Nexus Consortium, Digital Public Infrastructure stewards its canonical page, and 4 other platforms apply it, including Nexus Registry as well as AI and Digital Governance.
Digital demand and connectivity in Kenya.
Urban demand centres and the hubs that anchor digital and data infrastructure, shown for Kenya as an example geography for this subject.
What digital identity and public digital systems covers.
- 01
Core methods
identity proofing; authentication protocol design; privacy impact assessment; federated identity architecture; registry management; inclusion analysis.
- 02
Data and instruments
civil and population registers; authentication logs; service uptake records; user surveys; audit reports.
- 03
Validation
Systems are tested for accuracy of matching, resistance to fraud and accessibility. Independent audits review privacy and security controls.
- 04
Limits
Exclusion errors can deny services to vulnerable groups. Centralised systems create attractive targets and single points of failure.
- 05
Use in risk decisions
Digital identity systems determine how quickly aid and payments reach people after shocks. Their failure or misuse can amplify social and economic harm.
Digital identity is guided by inclusion and security principles.
| Reference | What it sets |
|---|---|
| Principles on Identification for Sustainable Development | Inclusion, design and governance |
| W3C Verifiable Credentials | Interoperable credential data model |
| NIST SP 800-63 Digital Identity Guidelines | Identity assurance levels |
Identity as the gate to services.
When social protection, payments and health records rely on one identity system, its failures exclude people from all of them at once. Assessment covers enrolment coverage, error rates in authentication, grievance redress and the legal basis for data use.
- Measure false rejection rates by population group.
- Provide offline and assisted fallback.
- Limit data collected to the purpose.
- Applications on Digital Public Infrastructure and Nexus Registry.
Who maintains this page.
Digital Public Infrastructure stewards digital identity and public digital systems: it keeps this description current and reviews how the method is applied across the platforms.
Terms used on this page.
Each term as this page uses it. Where a standard-setting body defines the term, the wording follows that body.
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Identity assurance level | A graded level of confidence in identity proofing, as in NIST SP 800-63. |
| Foundational ID | A general-purpose identity credential issued by government, such as a national ID. |
| Liveness detection | Checks that a biometric sample comes from a live person present at capture. |
| Identity proofing | Collecting and verifying evidence that a person is who they claim to be. |
Where this page's references lead.
The bodies and documents this page is read against. Status and editions change; each link goes to the issuing body.
Where this page leads across the Consortium.
- Digital identity for registriesGCRIApplied in Nexus Registry.
- Digital identity engineeringGCRIApplied in Digital Public Infrastructure.
- Digital identity and public digital systems at AI and Digital GovernanceGRFApplied in AI and Digital Governance.
- Digital identity in financeGRAApplied in Fintech Nexus.
- Digital identity and public digital systems for financial crime and fraud riskGRAApplied in Financial Crime and Fraud Risk.
Questions and answers.
Why does one institution host every method page?
How do I suggest a correction to a method page?
Around GCRI.
Start with an enquiry.
The current service level is R0: information and enquiries. An enquiry receives a reference and names the next step; applications, payments, compute allocations and registrations open only when their team, terms and review capacity exist.