Digital identity allows identity transactions to be completed through digital channels Digital information storage and transfer •User identity information is captured and stored in digital form •User identity information is transferred between IdPs and RPs in digital form •Form factors, such as computer or mobile devices rather than physical documents, can be used to complete transactions Direct connectivity •Information transfer occurs directly between IdPs and RPs, without an intermediary (although user consent can be built in) and without manual intervention (e.g., physical information entry) 49 WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM | 2016 A digital identity system has the same basic structure as a physical identity system, but attribute storage and exchange are entirely digital, removing reliance on physical documents and manual processes. FEATURES OF DIGITAL IDENTITY SYSTEMS THE CURRENT LANDSCAPE OF DIGITAL IDENTITY Digital identity is not a new concept; many identity systems exist in the world today that either incorporate some digital elements or are entirely digital‐based systems. The landscape of digital identity solutions is explored further in the next section of this report. These systems exist along a spectrum of maturity and degree of sophistication; however, all are designed to capture some of the benefits that digital identity brings over traditional physical‐based identity systems.
