WASHINGTON - The Better Identity Coalition today released “Better Identity in America: A Blueprint for State Policymakers,” a new set of policy recommendations for state government officials detailing the role states can play in improving the privacy, security, and convenience of digital identity solutions.
The report outlines six key initiatives for state government officials:
1. Place the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) at the center of state digital identity solutions.
2. Establish attribute validation services at vital records bureaus to support next-generation, consumer-centric remote identity proofing and verification systems.
3. Embrace identity innovation for better services.
4. Make sure identity works for everybody.
5. Promote and prioritize the use of strong authentication.
6. Do no harm.
“With identity fraud at record levels – targeting both state benefit programs and the private sector alike – states may feel overwhelmed with how to approach digital identity,” said Jeremy Grant, Coordinator of the Better Identity Coalition. “The good news is that, done right, identity can be the great enabler – providing a foundation for online experiences that are more secure, convenient, and better for privacy than the legacy tools in place today. This new Policy Blueprint is focused on helping state policymakers take a proactive approach that can help everyone in their state be better protected online.”
More than $56 billion was stolen as a result of identity fraud in 2020 - an increase of 333% over 2017 numbers. State governments were heavily targeted in attacks to steal pandemic relief dollars; the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) reported a 2920% increase in identity theft reports tied to government benefits. And the private sector was hammered as well; the Identity Theft Resource Center reported that data breaches grew 23% from 2020 to 2021, with breaches impacting more than 293 million people.
The Better Identity Coalition has brought together leading firms from different sectors of the economy to create a set of consensus policy recommendations for states to undertake to address these inadequacies — with a focus on solutions that empower consumers to assert and protect their identity online. The full report can be downloaded here.
Quotes from Coalition members:
“States play a key role in identity - with birth certificates, marriage licenses, and driver’s licenses- and have an important part to play in developing digital identity infrastructure that works for all Americans. With increasing availability of online services, Americans need to be sure they are not the victim of identity fraud and that they can easily prove they are who they say they are when opening a bank account, renting a car, signing a legal document, or conducting other business online. We look forward to working with state policymakers to advance these ideas.”
- Amy Shuart, Head of North America Government Affairs, Onfido
"As one of the leading independent identity providers, Okta supports the Coalition’s recommendations on improving digital identity solutions across states. We look forward to continued collaboration with state governments to help build secure, streamlined, and user-friendly citizen services through the deployment of modern identity technologies like adaptive multi-factor authentication and passwordless authentication."
– Jim Green, VP of Global Government Affairs, Okta
"We are excited to see the emphasis on how state governments can ensure a portable, secure digital identity is available to all residents. We support the Better Identity Coalition's efforts to increase security, access, and equity. To that end, ID.me believes accessibility and equity are possible without compromise, meeting users where they are so that "no identity is left behind."
- Lisa Maynard, Chief Customer Officer, ID.me
The Better Identity Coalition is an organization of leading businesses focused on developing and advancing consensus-driven, cross-sector policy initiatives that promote the development and adoption of better solutions for identity verification and authentication. The coalition was launched in February 2018 by the Center for Cybersecurity Policy and Law, a nonprofit dedicated to promoting education and collaboration with policymakers on policies related to cybersecurity.
The 27 Coalition members include: AT&T, CVS, Discover, Early Warning, Equifax, Experian, Facetec, Fidelity, ID.me, IDEMIA, JPMorgan Chase & Co., LexisNexis, MassMutual, Mastercard, Microsoft, Norton LifeLock, Notarize, Okta, OneSpan, Onfido, PNC Bank, Ping Identity, TransUnion, Uniken, US Bank, Wells Fargo, and Yubico. To learn more about the Better Identity Coalition, please visit https://www.betteridentity.org/.
