Digital Trust
Trust is the foundation of all digital interactions. It is the confidence that people, systems, and technologies will act reliably, securely, and with integrity. In the digital world, trust means believing that personal data will be protected, systems will work as designed, and technologies will uphold ethical and secure practices. As digital ecosystems become more complex, maintaining and earning that trust becomes not just a technical challenge, but a strategic priority.
A shift is taking place in the way that digital identities and the verifiable credentials of individuals, organisations, and objects (physical and digital) are handled. The European Union (EU) is leading this transformation with the Digital Europe Program (DIGITAL). At the heart of this transformation is the European Union Digital Identity (EUDI) Wallet initiative, which seeks to give citizens enhanced and secure control over their digital identities. In an age where misinformation, disinformation, and identity abuse are widespread, storing digital identities and credentials in digital wallets can help improve accountability, safeguard ownership, and reduce the misuse of personal data. By 2027, every EU citizen will have access to an initial version of a digital wallet. This wallet can be used to store and share personal details. This information will relate to both online and offline public and private services across the EU.
The EUDI Wallet will be applicable in many aspects of modern life, and it will have implications for how people use and access key identification information. For instance, it will be possible to store a digital version of an individual’s driving licence, thus eliminating the need for someone to always have a physical copy on their person. Besides identification information, the EUDI Wallet will provide a seamless recognition of qualifications and provide authorisation across the EU, simplifying education admissions, credentials management, student transfers, job applications, and talent mobility. At the same time, fraud will be reduced, while secure and cryptographically protected identities and credentials will be facilitated. This will help to reduce forgery and increase trust in qualifications.
The future of digital trust will give people more control over their own data, by embracing conceptual models such as Self- Sovereign Identity (SSI), along with the use of digital wallets to share their identities and credentials. The success of these initiatives will have a significant impact on citizens as well as public and private organisations. Digital trust assures that the identities and data of people and organisations are handled securely, that digital interactions are reliable, and that their privacy, in terms of their identity and data, is protected. New types of trust networks will create a digital world that is more secure, fair, and trustworthy for everyone.