Inclusivity, Ethics & Human-Centric Identity Design
Combined Session
Thursday, May 21, 2026 15:35—16:35
Location: A 03-04
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Thursday, May 21, 2026 15:35—16:35
Location: A 03-04
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An overseas digital identity acquaintance of mine recently posted a harmless LinkedIn update: coming to the UK to speak on a panel, curious what Brits think about digital ID. Pretty gentle, nerdy stuff.
A few hours later his comments were a wall of fury; conspiracies of soul-harvesting, globalist plots. The wrath of British LinkedIn had arrived.
Britain’s relationship with “papers, please” is uniquely emotional, shaped by centuries of uncomfortable encounters between the state and the individual. Our resistance is full-throated and patriotic, even when it makes no sense at all.
In this talk, Jaye takes us on an irreverent but insightful journey through Britain’s ID angst, from the second world war to Tony Blair's ill-fated 2000s foray, and the recent resurrection of its digital ghost.
We'll see how the coronavirus pandemic calcified our attitudes into their current dysfunctional form.
Understanding this cultural operating system is crucial, because the UK is once again building a national digital ID. And without reckoning with our past, we may doom its future.
Expect laughs, uncomfortable truths, and some truly inscrutable LinkedIn comments.
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Across the world, millions of people are being locked out of essential services because identity systems fail to recognise them. From older citizens in the UK unable to access healthcare to entrepreneurs in Ghana who can’t open bank accounts, identity exclusion is a global challenge with profound human and economic consequences.
We are Women in Identity and we are creating a universal set of guidelines designed to reduce bias and promote inclusion in identity systems across the globe. Why? Because our latest research in collaboration with The London School of Economics proves that ID inclusion is good for business.
In this talk, we will share the story so far of our multi-phase research programme, the ID Code of Conduct, and explore how this framework is shaping the future of equitable identity. Attendees will learn about:
-The scale of ID exclusion and who is most affected - and why this is not just a developing-country issue.
-The human impact of exclusion, through real stories of those whose lives have been directly affected by being “locked out” of systems.
-The Economic Impact of ID Exclusion, revealing that ID inclusion is good for business - increasing trust, efficiency, and most importantly, ROI.
Now, WiD is building practical governance tools for organisations. We'll take you through the status of that project and how you can help shape a more inclusive future.
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Inclusive design should be the foundation of any digital identity project, rather than an afterthought. But how can we put this into practice?
This talk draws on insights gained from the practical implementation of the EU Digital Identity (EUDI) Wallet project in Germany, where we aimed to identify barriers and provide tailored support for different user groups, going beyond regulatory accessibility requirements. The talk maps out the different planning phases and engagement formats, and shares insights on how to conduct such a process. It also addresses the issues and concerns that we learned about from civil society stakeholders.
These insights offer practical guidance for digital identity practitioners implementing digital identity systems in multilayered governance contexts, focusing on cross-border interoperability and inclusive, participatory solutions. Our approach shows how identity practitioners can promote inclusion — by starting with 'I' and inviting more diverse voices to contribute at every stage of digital identity development.
