Will Digital Identities Support or Control Us?

New York City - June 3 - RSVP Now

Around the world, countries have been investing heavily in digital ID systems, from India's Aadhaar to other systems in Kenya, Cote d'Ivoire and Estonia. "Digital ID" has become a buzzword.

It’s undeniable that ID is essential as a gateway to services, to rights, to the ability to get a job or conduct financial transactions. Digital ID is enabling increased efficiencies and new commercial opportunities, and there is much enthusiasm for the empowering potential of digital ID to increase opportunities for individual control.

Yet, for millions around the world, "identification in a digital age" can make life more complex - not to mention bring with it quite serious risks if not implemented thoughtfully and carefully.

The lack of an ID or trying to get an ID is challenging as systems are more interdependent than ever. There are also discussions around ID as enabling greater surveillance, leading to the UK's rejection of a national ID in 2006 and implied in IDNYC's decision to "ask no questions" and offer an ID to all, from previously incarcerated to undocumented migrants. Or that Digital ID is a gateway to China-type “social credit” systems.

Please RSVP now to join your peers at the next Technology Salon NYC. We’ll start by determining the difference between “identity”, “identification,” and “ID” and ask:

How identification in a digital world affects our futures?
What are the key challenges?
What are the design policy changes needed?

Please RSVP now to debate these overarching themes with thought leaders and decision makers, including:

Savita Bailur, Research Director, Caribou Digital
Emrys Schoemaker, Research Director, Caribou Digital,
Aiden Slavin, Chief of Stuff, ID2020

Our conversation will center around seeking answers to questions like these at the intersection of digital, identity, and development:

What do we mean by Digital ID? Who is doing it? Why and what for?
What issues does Digital ID aim to resolve?
What does digitizing ID entail? What technologies are being used?
Where are examples of Digital ID systems? How are they working?
What are social, technological and ethical challenges?
What should be done to mitigate these challenges?
Who is most impacted (positively and negatively) by Digital IDs?
How will new technologies (facial recognition, biometrics) impact Digital IDs?

We'll have hot coffee and breakfast treats for a morning rush. Seating is limited so please RSVP now. Once we reach our 35-person capacity there will be a waiting list!

Digital IDs
June Technology Salon
9:00-11:00am
Monday, June 3, 2019
OSF Offices
224 West 57th Street
New York, NY 10019

About the Technology Salon

The Technology Salon™ is an intimate, informal, and in person, discussion between information and communication technology experts and international development professionals, with a focus on both:

technology's impact on donor-sponsored technical assistance delivery, and
private enterprise driven economic development, facilitated by technology.

Our meetings are lively conversations, not boring presentations, and frank participation with ideas, opinions, and predictions is actively encouraged.

It's also a great opportunity to meet others motivated to employ technology to solve vexing development problems. Join us today!