The government of Québec has outlined a cybersecurity and digital technology strategy (“Stratégie gouvernementale de cybersécurité et du numérique 2024-2028”) that includes plans for a digital ID system.
As detailed in its multi-part plan, the digital wallet is seen as a key component of digital transformation of the province’s public administration. The current system of presenting physical photo ID to prove one’s identity “involves sharing a significant amount of personal information that is not necessary to provide the desired service,” the French-language plan explains, adding that presenting this information to multiple parties escalates the risk of identity theft.
A better and more secure alternative would be to store this identity information in a “secure digital environment” that can be accessed easily by the digital wallet holder. This mobile app will allow access to government services and help to increase “confidence among citizens when carrying out different types of exchanges and transactions,” suggesting it could have an extensive role to play in the private sector.
Other aspects of the digital transformation plan include efforts to unify digital government services around a central platform, and working to ensure that the public has a high level of digital literacy, an effort that will be led by the Ministry of Cybersecurity and Digital Affairs. The government also aims to leverage artificial intelligence to improve the performance of public administration, though its strategy emphasizes that care must be taken to ensure that such projects are undertaken ethically and responsibly.
Source: Government of Québec
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(Originally published on FindBiometrics)
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