As reported previously, Paul Simmonds, a board member of the Jericho Forum, told Infosecurity that the forum is discussing an electronic ID initiative, which builds on the set of 'identity commandments' the association released earlier in the year.
To assist in this regard, the Jericho Forum is proposing the creation of a digital identity that internet users can buy for a modest fee at their local Post Office and then 'build' on the ID by adding authentication from various organizations they know and trust.
Speaking this week at a Chartered Institute of IT event, Roger Dean, EEMA's director, echoed Simmonds' enthusiasm, saying that UK businesses need to “grasp and exploit the commercial and business possibilities of electronic identity”, and adding that the UK has not established a clear eID policy for industry and the public.
There are, said Dean, some extremely exciting eID projects – such as STORK and SEDDIC – currently running across Europe at the moment, that will deliver huge opportunities to those businesses that take the initiative.
“For example, it is estimated that there were 250 commercial applications spawned following the introduction of the Belgian identity card”, he said.
“In the present economic climate, you must be fast to identify the right opportunities and take advantage of them. UK businesses must grasp and exploit the commercial and business possibilities of electronic identity, or they risk losing out on huge market potential”, he added.