What Is Digital Identity and What Are the Features of Digital Identities?

Traditional identity is a document that has a physical presence and contains unique and identifying characteristics and elements of a particular person. A person's identity embodies the distinct characteristics and qualities of that person in cultural and social spheres. Identities contain content by which people identify themselves and allow others to recognize them. Through things that serve as identities, the authenticity of people can be verified.

What Can IDs Contain?

Identities, or things that act as identities, can contain important information about a person. Examples of this information include the following:

First and Last Name
Physical Data and Measurements
Biological Details
Gender Information
Ethnicity Knowledge
Nationality
Religion
Language
Culture
Values
Beliefs
Areas of Interest
Social Titles and Roles

Different identities that individuals may use for different domains may contain such information. People's identities may change over time. Some of the information contained herein may be variable, and this may cause changes. Factors such as people's life experiences, relationships, and environmental factors may also cause changes.

Therefore, if any information on the identity created to identify oneself in a field has changed in one's life, individuals should update the information on the relevant identity.

Identities affect how people express themselves and communicate with others. In general, people can feel belonging to certain groups through their identities. These groups can be organized around people's shared experiences, values, and goals.

Identities help people to understand themselves and their relationships with others. But the structure of identities is complex. Each person has their own experience of identity. People's identities are shaped by interaction with various factors and can have a multidimensional structure.

What Is Digital Identity?

Digital identities are a concept that enables a person to prove their credentials in different digital environments. Digital identities are an electronic identification process that helps people identify who is in the digital world.

A digital identity describes a comprehensive digital representation that is a collection of different identities held by individuals or organizations.

Digital identities are the electronic modeling of all kinds of attribute data of a living being or entity during and after its lifetime. To carry out transactions on online platforms, people must first prove that they are who they say they are. Digital identities are used to verify that the person performing the transaction on the platform is the declared real person. Given the risks posed by fraud, money laundering, and similar illegal transactions on online platforms and applications, better security measures are needed. To increase these security measures, digital identity and digital authentication factors should be taken into consideration. Digital identity procedures should be implemented step by step.

What Is Digital Authentication?

Digital identity verification refers to the process of verifying that people who want to benefit from certain online services are who they claim to be. Different tools and structures can be used for identity verification. In the digital identity verification process, verifying that people are who they say they are is necessary to open a new bank account, apply for a loan, or perform other financial services and transactions. Digital identity verification is a very important security step. For this reason, fraudulent activities can be prevented in services and platforms that use digital identity verification.

How Does Digital Authentication Work?

Digital identity verification, which has become possible with the development of technology, performs verification by comparing the information that the person sends to prove his/her claim with the information he/she has.

There are different methods of authentication. Some of these methods are as follows:

Electronic Signature
Biometric Verification
Face Recognition
Verification with Identity Document or Card

Using such methods, people can perform digital identity verification on online platforms.

Some of the data and information that can be used to create a digital identity are:

Username and Password
Date of Birth
Purchase History
Social Security Numbers
Online Search Activities similar to Electronic Transactions
Medical History and Records

What Are the Features of Digital Identities?

Digital identities have some basic features. These basic features are as follows:

Verification and Identification
Personal Information Handling
Security
Portability
Permissions and Privacy Controls

Verification and Identification

Digital identities allow users to prove who they are on online platforms. Sometimes verification codes are also used.

Usernames, passwords, biometric data (such as fingerprints, and facial scans), one-time codes, or other authentication methods are used in the identification and verification processes of digital identities.

Personal Information Handling

Digital identities can store users' personal information and carry this information across digital media. Name, address, date of birth, contact details, and other personal information may be part of digital identities. This information and data may be used to prove the user's identity and communicate necessary information to service providers.

Security

Digital identities help keep users safe online. Strong password requirements, two-factor authentication (2FA), and other security measures can be used to enhance the security of digital identities. This protects against threats such as unauthorized access and identity theft.

Portability

Digital identities enable people to be portable across different digital platforms and services. A digital identity can be used across multiple service providers and does not require the user to re-enter their information repeatedly on each platform. This allows users to have an easier and smoother experience.

Permissions and Privacy Controls

Digital identities provide users with the ability to control and manage their data. Users can determine what information is shared and who has access to it. This gives users more control to protect their privacy and share the information they want only with certain people.

Users should manage their digital identities safely and carefully and take appropriate security measures.

Digital identity profiles typically contain a person's real identity characteristics. Naturally, digital identities come with some security and privacy risks, including identity thieves. Fake accounts and profiles can identify a person through data analytics across websites. Phenomena such as passports and licenses enable people to be identified in real life. The use of such personal identifying information online can pose a threat to a person's privacy. Today, work is ongoing for digital identities and related digital identity verifications. However, there is not yet a standardized system or structure for the identification of digital identities.