Monthly Archives: January 2024

The Crucial Link Between Accessibility and Digital Identity

Author: Marie Jordan from VISA. Additional contributions made by members of DIACC’s Adoption Expert Committee.

In the rapidly evolving landscape of the digital age, the concept of identity has transcended the physical realm and taken root in the digital world. This shift towards digital identities brings about numerous conveniences and efficiencies, but it also presents challenges: ensuring accessibility and equity for all. From online banking to social media profiles, our digital identity is an intricate tapestry that weaves together various facets of our lives. It’s crucial to note that when discussing inclusion, equity, and accessibility in this context, the focus is primarily on individuals who experience physical or cognitive disabilities that may impair their use of technology from the outset.

The importance of accessibility in creating digital identity solutions cannot be overstated. To achieve true inclusivity for this specific group, both the public and private sectors must prioritize accessibility and consider specific principles to safeguard the rights and privacy of individuals with disabilities. In this article, we’ll delve into the significance of accessibility for digital identity and the protection of marginalized communities, outlining key principles for both public and private sectors to consider.

Part 1: The Significance of Accessibility in Developing Digital Identity

Digital identity solutions are central to our modern lives, facilitating everything from accessing healthcare records to participating in online communities. However, these advantages are only fully realized when these systems are accessible to everyone, regardless of their physical or cognitive abilities, including accounting for aging populations. An initial product release that lacks accessibility and proves difficult to use, even if it functions as intended, can erode trust and create negative perceptions.

  • Universal design: A foundational principle for digital identity solutions is creating systems usable by all individuals, regardless of disability. A universally designed digital identity solution should accommodate a wide range of abilities, modalities of interaction, and preferences, ensuring that everyone can participate in the digital world on equal terms.
  • Inclusivity in development: Involving individuals with disabilities in the design and testing phases ensures that the final product is genuinely accessible. By including diverse perspectives, developers can identify and rectify accessibility issues early in the development cycle.
  • Adherence to standards: To ensure accessibility, digital identity solutions must adhere to globally recognized accessibility standards, such as W3C’s Web Content Accessibility Guidelines. These provide a clear set of guidelines for making digital content and applications accessible. Compliance with these standards is crucial for ensuring that digital identities are available and usable for all.
  • User-centric approach: Developers must seek to understand how individuals with disabilities interact with their application or technology, offering customization options that empower users to adapt the system to their unique needs and requirements. This might include adjustable font sizes, alternative input methods, and compatibility with assistive technologies. They should also be adaptive in their design.
  • Privacy and security: Paramount in digital identity solutions, individuals with disabilities may be particularly vulnerable to privacy breaches and identity theft. Implementing robust security measures while maintaining respect for user privacy is essential. This can be achieved through encryption, robust authentication methods, and clear privacy policies. Regular audits and assessments can address the security and privacy practices of digital identity solutions as technology shifts, including vulnerability testing and compliance checks to ensure the highest standards of privacy and security are maintained.

Part 2: Safeguarding the Privacy and Trust of Individuals with Disabilities

To ensure that the privacy and trust of all citizens are safeguarded appropriately, accessible solutions must be designed and delivered with intent. To ensure that accessibility is realized, a high level of understanding and education is necessary for individuals to utilize their identity in digital channels without the apprehension of misuse or fear of being exploited.

  • Informed consent: Individuals with disabilities should have access to clear and understandable information about how their digital identity data will be used. Obtaining informed consent ensures that users are aware of the risks and benefits of participating in digital identity systems.
  • Minimal data collection: Users should understand that only the data that is absolutely necessary for the functioning of the digital identity system is being collected. Minimizing data collection reduces the risk of privacy breaches and limits the potential for misuse of personal information.
  • Transparency in data practices: Transparency should be maintained in data practices. All users must have access to their data and understand how it is being used and processed. Transparency, particularly to historically marginalized communities, builds trust and empowers individuals to make informed decisions about the use of their digital identities.
  • Accessible privacy settings and controls: Accessible privacy settings and controls that are easy for individuals with disabilities to use must be available. These controls must allow users to manage their data and privacy preferences effectively.

In conclusion, it’s important to recognize that accessibility, inclusion, and equity are multifaceted challenges. While this article focuses on individuals experiencing physical or cognitive disabilities, it’s crucial to acknowledge that there are various barriers to equitable access, including socio-economic factors, digital literacy, and language barriers. By addressing these challenges collectively, we can work towards creating a more inclusive digital world for everyone.

Request for Comment & IPR Review: PCTF Authentication Final Recommendation V1.1

Notice of Intent: DIACC is collaborating to develop and publish the Authentication component of the Pan-Canadian Trust Framework (PCTF) to set a baseline of public and private sector interoperability of identity services and solutions. During this public review period, DIACC is looking for community feedback to ensure that the conformance criteria is clear and auditable.

To learn more about the Pan-Canadian vision and benefits-for-all value proposition please review the Pan-Canadian Trust Framework Overview.

Document Status: These review documents have been developed by members of the DIACC’s Trust Framework Expert Committee (TFEC) who operate under the DIACC controlling policies and consist of representatives from both the private and public sectors. These documents have been approved by the TFEC as Final Recommendations V1.1.

Summary:

The PCTF Authentication Component defines:

1.      A set of processes that enable access to digital systems.

2.      A set of Conformance Criteria for each process that, when a process is shown to be compliant, enable the process to be trusted.

Invitation:

  • All interested parties are invited to comment.

Period:

  • Opens: January 16, 2024 at 23:59 PT | Closes: February 15, 2024 at 23:59 PT

When reviewing the components Conformance Criteria, please consider the following and note that responses to this question are non-binding and serve to improve the PCTF.

  1. Would you consider the Conformance Criteria as auditable or not? That is, could you objectively evaluate if an organization was compliant with that criteria and what evidence would be used to justify that?

Review Documents: Authentication

Intellectual Property Rights:

Comments must be received within the 30-day comment period noted above. All comments are subject to the DIACC contributor agreement; by submitting a comment you agree to be bound by the terms and conditions therein. DIACC Members are also subject to the Intellectual Property Rights Policy. Any notice of an intent not to license under either the Contributor Agreement and/or the Intellectual Property Rights Policy with respect to the review documents or any comments must be made at the Contributor’s and/or Member’s earliest opportunity, and in any event, within the 30-day comment period. IPR claims may be sent to review@diacc.ca. Please include “IPR Claim” as the subject.

Process:

Value to Canadians:

The purpose of the PCTF Authentication Component is to assure the on-going integrity of login and authentication processes by certifying, through a process of assessment, that they comply with standardized Conformance Criteria. The Conformance Criteria for this component may be used to provide assurances:

·  That Trusted Processes result in the representation of a unique Subject at a Level of Assurance that it is the same Subject with each successful login to an Authentication Service Provider.

·  Concerning the predictability and continuity in the login processes that they offer or on which they depend.

All participants will benefit from:

·  Login and authentication processes that are repeatable and consistent (whether they offer these processes, depend on them, or both).

·  Assurance that identified Users can engage in authorized interactions with remote systems.

Relying Parties benefit from:

·  The ability to build on the assurance that Authentication Trusted Processes uniquely identify, at an acceptable level of risk, a Subject in their application or program space.

Context:

The purpose of this review is to ensure transparency in the development and diversity of a truly Pan-Canadian, and international, input. In alignment with our Principles for an Identity Ecosystem, processes to respect and enhance privacy are being prioritized through every step of the PCTF development process.

DIACC expects to modify and improve these Draft Recommendations based upon public comments. Comments made during the review will be considered for incorporation into the next iteration and DIACC will prepare a Disposition of Comments to provide transparency with regard to how each comment was handled.