Open Standards and Open-Source Software

Yiannis Theodorou, Head of Digital ID at the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change and Debora Comparin, Standardisation Expert at Thales and Chair of OSIA Initiative, SIA, warn of the pitfalls in creating closed and non-interoperable systems in this adaptation of their article ‘Modernising Digital-ID Systems: What Open Standards and Open-Source Software Really Mean’ ¹.

Today’s identity market is an environment of siloed foundational and functional ID systems, partly built on proprietary technologies. But, as the market matures, new tech solutions are redefining the landscape. Mobile-ID solutions, sophisticated biometrics, cloud computing, distributed ledgers and other technologies have made it possible to develop integrated national ID ecosystems that are efficient, cost-effective and secure, without necessarily involving centralised databases.

But the ability of many countries to take advantage of these new technologies by switching suppliers is severely hampered by the complexity of existing systems or contractual arrangements.