PPI Blog: Mobile IDs would serve American consumers better

How can we move the humble state driver’s license or ID card into the 21st century? Today, U.S. state licenses are the principal consumer ID for day-to-day purposes. They certify identity and age using anti-counterfeiting features and are used to verify driving, or non-driving, privileges.

However, they have two major flaws. First, showing identification cards reveals all personal information to the identifier. If the ID is scanned, personal information is then stored with the scanner. Second, current state IDs are only usable in-person, despite the trend of moving public and private services online. Estimates suggest that in 2022, Americans will be spending 60% of their time online often giving away personal information for every new site or transaction.

However, some states are using existing and well-tested technology to make their state ID cards more useful and more private at the same time without compromising security: digital ID.