Understanding Data Handling in National ID Registries
National ID registries are fast becoming the cornerstone of 21st-century digital governance.
As governments move public services online and scale up their national security capabilities, the need to capture, store, and share identity data effectively has never been so important. And at the core of this capability is data. By that, we mean the data “about” an individual held in these registries, not the data “on” the individual, such as entries in a database. Handling such data means having effective processes and systems in place to capture good-quality information, to look after it securely, and to keep it up to date.
The Role of Biometric Data in Identity Quality
Biometric data is one of the key factors that help secure national ID registries in place. Fingerprint records or facial images aren’t easily mixed up between people, even in large populations. And because these are physical characteristics of identity, like DNA or the biometric intrinsic to the body, it is an order of magnitude more difficult to fake them than it is to forge an address or SSN and other demographic information.
Biometric identity also gives the state the principles of identity data quality assurance. With biometrics, it is possible, upon enrollment, to verify and ensure that foster-parent database matches are prevented. No two foster parents should be able to claim the same identity, so the state can control the dissemination of identity registration. Biometrics also help with quality maintenance over time. It’s not just that records and other information move with the person, but in the real world of average citizens, people change names and other information. Over time, the state can ensure that record updates don’t move to the wrong record.
Software Systems Supporting Centralized Registries
A biometric ID management system is more than a repository of national ID data – it’s a single-source, authoritative system of record for an individual. This comprehensive framework supports the complete identity lifecycle, including large-scale registration, de-duplication, enrollment, and updating – all enabled by the software features, capabilities, and services included in an integrated solution. Enrollments and verifications, de-dupes, and biometric and biographic data are securely stored in a single source of truth and record.
An important component of the identity registry framework is update and revocation support – such as flagging of an identity data update, the subject’s name, citizenship, or loss of a document. When individuals die or if fraud is involved, appropriate measures must be taken to deactivate or revoke the identity to maintain the integrity of the system.
Enabling Secure and Efficient Government Services
A trusted national ID registry is a key pillar of a country’s safety and security. When government officials have a reliable way of evaluating individual identities, law enforcement, border control, and public administration can improve their speed and accuracy of decision-making and reduce the risks of their operations.
Interoperable registries also benefit public service delivery to citizens. They can use a single version of a person’s identity data to increase the speed and efficiency of providing health care, social services, and financial inclusion.
Crucial to all of this is the usability and safety of registry data: not only as a matter of systems design, but also as a factor supporting our efforts to govern safely and transact with the trust and consent of our people.
