Resolving the privacy paradox - strategies for identity management
The digital age promises to deliver effective identity management solutions for governments, as citizens demand greater security in their travel and transactions. Yet at the same time, there is strong opposition, on privacy and civil liberties grounds, to some proposed government initiatives.
This tension between the power of technology to both empower and control citizens is what we call the "Privacy Paradox." We believe it’s time for governments to recognize this paradox and, like their counterparts in the private sector, begin responding to the public demand for identity management solutions that are both effective and engender trust and confidence that personal data is not being abused.
We have identified three strategies that have contributed to the success of these private programs and that can, we believe, provide practical insights to guide governments:
- Understand stakeholder requirements and develop an underlying business model to deliver the benefits and address concerns via aligning accountability, incenting desired behaviors and respecting privacy concerns.
- Exploit the latest technologies through an open and flexible approach to solution development that encourages interoperability and builds stakeholders' trust.
- Provide reassurance to the public that government has the capabilities to manage personal data and offer recourse through effective independent agencies for dealing with situations that go wrong.
