Toronto, April 20, 2023 – The Digital Identity & Authentication Council of Canada (DIACC) has released the results of its 2022 Digital Identity Perspectives Research. The study provides insight into Canadians’ attitudes and perceptions toward digital identity, privacy, and their adoption of digital wallets.
The research reveals a strong majority of Canadians believe they should be able to control the data about them held and issued by both governments and the private sector. In addition, while most respondents are concerned about protecting their privacy, they feel only somewhat knowledgeable about the subject, presenting an opportunity for education and awareness.
“The results of our Digital Identity Perspectives Research provide valuable insights into the attitudes and perceptions of Canadians towards personal data control and privacy,” said Joni Brennan, President of DIACC. “We are committed to working in partnership with the public and private sectors to secure, trusted, and privacy-enhancing digital benefits for all Canadians.”
One notable finding is that caregivers are among the most interested in the benefits and adoption of digital identity to meet their dependents’ caregiving needs related to school and health records for example. The study also revealed that most Canadians are concerned about their personal information being available online, with concerns about identity theft and senior scams at the forefront.
When creating a digital identity framework, most respondents feel that collaboration between the public and private sectors is the best approach, with a slight preference for the private sector. This sentiment has increased from 65% in 2021 to 71% in 2022.
Regarding digital wallets, familiarity with the concept continues to grow, with 59% of respondents being familiar in 2022, compared to 54% in 2021. In addition, the use of digital wallets is also increasing, with 41% of respondents using one in 2022 compared to 38% in 2021. Apple Wallet’s use has increased from 17% in 2021 to 24% in 2022.
Finally, the study found that 2/3 of Canadians feel that the COVID-19 pandemic has made secure, trusted, privacy-enhancing digital identity and verification solutions more critical to help Canadians who chose to use this technology, transact safely online, virtually unchanged from 2021.
“The PCTF offers a practical tool for meeting Canadians’ transparency and personal data control demands. The PCTF sets the basis for digital trust, clearly defining the duty of care people and partners should expect when utilizing digital verification solutions,” said Dave Nikolejsin, Chair of the DIACC Board.
“The public and private sectors have a unique opportunity to put the PCTF into action to help Canadians secure personal data control, reducing the threat of fraud while also promoting economic growth opportunities. A safe and secure data environment benefits everyone,” said Ibrahim Gedeon, Board Member of DIACC and Chief Technology Officer for TELUS.
About DIACC
DIACC (Digital Identity & Authentication Council of Canada) is a non-profit organization dedicated to advancing the development and adoption of secure, trusted, and privacy-enhancing digital identity and access management solutions in Canada. DIACC works closely with the government, private sector, and academia to ensure Canadians access secure, convenient, and user-friendly digital identity solutions. For more information, please visit the DIACC website at https://diacc.ca/.
Download the report here.
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