Designing a Trustworthy EU Digital Identity Wallet : A study of user needs and preferences

Abstract: The digitalization has become increasingly central in today’s society and digital identities are one of the tangible changes that has quickly become integrated into our society. However, increased integration in societies also creates new challenges and responsibilities. The European Union (EU) has recognized this need and implemented the eIDAS regulation (electronic Identification, Authentication, and trust services). In the regulation, a digital identity wallet is also proposed. The aim of the wallet is for users to store and manage their digital identities and credentials such as driver’s licenses, university degrees, and similar documents. With this development and introduction of a digital identity wallet, questions about trust become relevant. Trust in digital identities is crucial to ensure communication and data management, as well as to get users to use the services.  The purpose of this study has been to examine aspects of trust related to the EU digital identity wallet and explore key components and actors within the wallet’s eco-system. The work has been limited to focusing on the electronic identification component of eIDAS. Furthermore, data has been collected from interviews with experts in the field from Sweden and the Netherlands. The theory used is definitions and concepts on what trust entails, as well as two frameworks explaining factors important to initially trust a system, and explaining the relationship between usability, privacy, and security.  The results conclude that users prioritize usability over security and privacy, and that an application that is simple and practical also are important features of a digital identity wallet. It also emerged that it is important for users that safety nets are built into the wallet. Furthermore, users, the EU, and the respective member states were identified as fundamental actors of the ecosystem. It was emphasized that the wallet is complex and that there are many challenges and opportunities ahead to build a trustworthy wallet.