Why the Public Trust Gap Exists

The public trust gap isn’t about rejection of digital identity—it’s about education, legitimate concerns, and misconceptions. Understanding why hesitancy persists is the first step toward closing the gap.

Three Root Causes

1. Lack of Public Education

The public needs better understanding of what digital trust means and, most importantly, how it can benefit and improve their lives.

The terminology challenge: The term “digital identity” may confuse people and conjure negative images of surveillance rather than empowerment. Research shows that simpler terms like “verify,” “authenticate,” or “credential” are more easily understood.

Most people don’t understand what digital identity actually means
The benefits aren’t clearly communicated in everyday language
Technical jargon creates barriers to understanding
Success stories from other sectors aren’t widely known
Education hasn’t kept pace with technological development

2. Legitimate Privacy and Security Concerns

People should rightly be concerned about data privacy, security, and potential misuse of personal information. These aren’t irrational fears—they’re based on real experiences.

Why concerns are justified:

There are often no easily understood rules around where personal data lives
It’s unclear who owns personal data and how others use it
High-profile data breaches regularly affect millions of Canadians
Misuse of personal data has eroded trust across sectors
Current systems often lack transparency and user control
Frequent breaches in both public and private sectors degrade trust

3. Misconceptions About Functionality

Many people have incorrect assumptions about how digital identity systems work, leading to unnecessary fears about privacy and surveillance

Common Concerns and Misconceptions

❌ CONCERN “Digital ID means constant authentication and surveillance”	✓ REALITY Well-designed systems must enable anonymity and pseudonymity, using only the minimum necessary information
❌ CONCERN “Digital ID will replace physical ID and become mandatory”	✓ REALITY Digital ID must be an optional supplemental tool, not a replacement for physical identification
❌ CONCERN “All my data will be stored in one central government database”	✓ REALITY Modern systems must use a decentralized, privacy-by-design architecture where you control your credentials
❌ CONCERN “Using digital ID means sharing all my personal information”	✓ REALITY Data minimization means sharing only what’s needed—age verification doesn’t require your full birthdate

Understanding Data Minimization

One of the biggest misconceptions is that digital identity requires sharing extensive personal information. In reality, well-designed digital trust systems enable data minimization:

How Data Minimization Works in Practice

At a bank: Needs to know you are who you claim to be to stop fraud—full identity verification required
At a beer store: Only needs to know that you meet the age of consent—no birthdate or address needed
At a retailer: Typically only needs to know that your payment card is valid—no personal details required
Accessing transit: Only needs proof of payment or valid pass—no identity information needed

The Data Sharing Paradox

Forum participants noted an interesting contradiction: people’s willingness to share personal information on social media platforms and in apps doesn’t match their resistance to sharing information with governments—even though governments may already have access to the same information.

Why This Happens

Private platforms don’t clearly explain data usage, creating an illusion of control
Social media feels optional and recreational, while government feels mandatory
People underestimate how much data private companies collect
The benefits of social media are immediate and tangible
Government digital services are framed as surveillance rather than empowerment

The solution: Public messaging should emphasize people’s lack of transparency and control over their data today, and explain what data control means in the context of privacy protection with digital trust capabilities.

The “Quiet Majority” Problem

Another challenge is the lack of vocal public outcry. While people criticize the inconvenient patchwork of website logins and lack of modern government digital services, there’s no massive public demand for transformation.

As one government leader noted: “We’re focusing so much on the few that are making a loud noise…but…the rest of us…I don’t know if we’re okay with mediocre service…We’re just quieter.”

This quiet tolerance for mediocre service shouldn’t be mistaken for satisfaction. The research shows:

91% want control over their data
80% want a secure unified ecosystem
71% support public-private collaboration

People want better solutions—they just don’t know what’s possible or how to demand it.

Generational and Contextual Factors

Different Expectations by Generation

Older people may have higher tolerance for visiting physical locations to shop and access government services, while younger people expect minimal friction and want every service on a smartphone.

The key insight: Where there’s both an expectation of identity verification AND the current process is incredibly cumbersome, adoption faces virtually zero pushback. The challenge comes when friction is already low and verification expectations are minimal.

The Acceptance Cycle

We’ve been through similar suspicion-acceptance cycles before with digital transformation. When e-commerce began, people were reluctant to use credit cards online for fear of fraud. As the public saw the systems were secure and experienced tangible benefits, online transactions became the norm. The pandemic then accelerated online shopping adoption.

We’re going through this cycle again with digital trust capabilities. Once the benefits and cybersecurity measures are widely understood, most people will likely adopt these services.

The difference this time: we can learn from past digital transformations and be more intentional about education, transparency, and building trust from the start.