Over the last year, we have showcased many new products and services from our M4D Products & Services Tracker. As the number of mobile products and services increases, the opportunity for identity solutions has also grown.
Digital identity unlocks new opportunities for people in emerging markets who do not have other formal means of identity, such as a passport or national ID card. In particular, it gives people living in rural areas or those with low literacy the chance to register themselves and become eligible for more mainstream government services, such as education and health care. However, it also creates new vulnerabilities: in markets where people may have little experience or awareness of data privacy issues, it is paramount that the privacy and security of their data is maintained.
In this final edition of 2015, the M4D Impact Products and Services Quarterly Report investigates the opportunities for digital identity and the different ways mobile can help countries provide their citizens with official identification more quickly.
The report will look at digital identity needs in three areas:
- Mobile products and services offering a form of digital Identity
- Digital identity and Mobile Government Services
- Digital identity and Disaster Response
This document was originally produced as part of the former Mobile for Development Impact programme.