Mistrust of government within the context of repressive states as a driver of slow user acceptance and adoption of digital IDs in Africa: Nigeria in focus.
Babatunde Okunoye, Research Affiliate, Berkman Klein Centre for Internet and Society, Harvard University; Department of Journalism Film and Television, University of Johannesburg
This session argues that as laid down by the theoretical concept of Technopolitics, even technologies implemented as developmental objectives reflect the politics or values of governments in power. In the case of Nigeria, unless there are substantive changes in the performance of governance and the respect of human rights, some of the goals of the digital identity project might be harmed. —-
Introduction
Advances in digital technologies are redefining opportunities around the world to develop new economic value, to govern and serve within more accessible societies, and to empower individuals. Legal recognition of identity, the ability to establish trust in who we are, is a foundational component of society, a powerful tool that confirms access to life-sustaining resources and services, alongside evolving opportunities: It is enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
Digital innovations in identity bring new opportunities to create transparency, fairness, and better-governed services. They also create the potential to distribute and interpret significant amounts of information about people and their communities.
The Turing’s work in trustworthy data systems is advancing applied research for data science, artificial intelligence, and privacy-enhancing encryption that is delivering significant impact in the fields of healthcare, national security, finance, and criminal justice. Our trustworthy digital infrastructure for identity systems project is further developing this impact with a transformative opportunity to mature collective appreciation for the design and development opportunities to be had, and the policy choices to be made in upholding trust as a systemic imperative for identity systems.
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About the event
This conference brings together prominent academics and key players in the field of digital identity from government and industry sectors to focus on opportunities in the assessment and development of trustworthy digital identity systems.
Outlined themes and key questions cover the driving influences, alongside the characteristics that can attest to whether these systems are deserving of trust. They also seek to reflect the social impact, cultural, societal and behavioural conventions that have a role to play in anticipating vulnerabilities for the people these systems are being set up to serve.
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