Beyond security: implications for the future of federated digital identity management systems

Abstract

Federated identity management is often viewed by corporations as a solution to support secure online commerce by synthesising complex and fragmented user information into a single entity. However previous research (Satchell et al 2006) has revealed a new set of end user needs for the design of identity management systems. This paper explores these needs from an identity management provider perspective, finds both alignment and divergence in needs and identifies a generational shift as a major cause of the differing needs. Whilst X and Y generations do not react strongly to concerns about digital identity theft or misappropriation of information, they seek to create and control their digital representations to be streamlined, portable across domains and revealing elements of their real life identity. There is still a considerable challenge for providers who must look beyond 'security' and 'authentication' to include 'user control', 'synthesis', 'portability' and 'personalisation' in the design of their systems.