The Swedish Post and Telecom Agency (PTS) grants financial support to Verisec for the completion of a feasibility study with the project “eID with shared control”. The purpose of the project is to combat digital exclusion through Freja eID and enable more people to benefit from digitalization’s possibilities.
Having access to an eID is an important prerequisite for being able to take part in the digital society. Many individuals end up in digital exclusion as a result of that they can’t obtain, are not able to manage or do not dare to have an eID. This applies, for example, to people with special needs, individuals with disabilities and not least a large group of older people.
PTS received 116 complete applications for the innovation competition with the theme “From outside to the Internet”. Among these, Verisec was granted funding of SEK 100,000 to carry out a feasibility study of a project involving the company’s e-identification service Freja eID. The project aims to enable e-identification, which facilitates for those currently in digital exclusion, by using Freja eID – which is approved for the governmental quality mark “Svensk e-legitimation”. By developing functions for “shared control” with Freja eID where a legitimate representative (trustee, guardian, caretaker, etc.) can be responsible for parts of the process of e-identification, the individual does not have to take more responsibility than he or she is able to or allowed to.
The feasibility study is conducted by Verisec alongside the partner PictureMyLife, which offers a communication service in the form of a digital diary to individuals with special needs where Freja eID is already used for maintaining personal privacy and security. At the end of the feasibility-study period, Verisec presents its project to an expert council consisting of representatives from the business community, the public sector, the technology industry, innovators and end users. PTS then decides on additional project funding based on the expert council’s comments.
Johan Henrikson, CEO Verisec comments:
”Shared control with Freja eID enables those who cannot take full responsibility for their digital identity to become more involved in digital society. Since more and more services – and especially the most important ones – now require e-identification, the immediate need is to enable individuals who today lack the opportunity to gain access to the entire digital world. On the one hand, there is a great demand from these groups to be included. More importantly; that is their civil right.”
