Secure authentication means easy access to local authority services

I Reveal My Attributes

Developed by the Privacy by Design foundation, the IRMA platform's name comes from "I Reveal My Attributes". An attribute is an item of digital data about a person, such as the information in the Personal Records Database ('BRP' in Dutch). With the free IRMA smartphone app, the user creates their own unique digital passport, made up of attributes obtained from the official sources. With BRP data, for example, the source is the user's local authority. Having populated the app with personal data, the user can give selected information to service providers. Here's how it works in practice: suppose you want to call your local authority. You go to the website for the contact info, and you find a phone number and a QR code. You scan the code, which tells the IRMA app what details the local authority needs in order to provide the service you want. The app then prompts you to approve the information request. Once you do, it calls the authority for you. When a townhall worker answers the call, your name and the requested information immediately appears on their screen. "IRMA has several big plusses," says Erik van den Heuvel. "First, the user shares only the information that the service provider actually needs. Second, instead of data being stored centrally, it's kept exclusively on the user's phone. Third, it takes much less time to identify someone with IRMA. And, fourth, authentication can be done remotely and securely. IRMA is now an advanced technology with important strengths in terms of privacy and secure authentication. As such, the platform can really enrich online services, such as telephony, video conferencing and chat."

Secure contact with your local authority

"In recent years, local authorities have seen a strong upturn in demand for chat and video functions," adds Erik. "We're interacting with each other more and more online, partly because of COVID-19. And the more we use chat and video, the more important it is that identification and authentication are possible via those channels. So the cities of Arnhem, Nijmegen and the Drecht region have linked up with the Dutch Tax Service, Digicampus, Novum, HAN University of Applied Sciences, Tweede Golf en iHub to start the ID Contact pilot. The 'ID' in the pilot's name stands for a Dutch phrase meaning 'innovation in service provision'. The pilot is a follow-up to the ID Bellen ('ID Calling') project. It involves upgrading the current version of ID Bellen, and testing and refining its use for authentication in the context of video and chat." "We started the pilot with a survey of residents' wishes concerning contact with their local authorities. It's important that, when ID Contact is rolled out, everyone can use it, including people who struggle with digital systems. For the pilot, we're using the Scrum method, working in short, one-month bursts. We'll generate a series of iterations to test our output on various focus groups. Then we'll implement their suggestions to refine our system. The wide range of partners involved in the pilot means we've got all aspects covered," explains Erik. "For example, HAN is focusing on investigating what residents want from digital systems, while Tweede Golf is supporting us with development of the open-source software. And all of us are committed to a common goal: enabling easy and secure contact with local authorities. So that everyone has a straightforward way of accessing the public services they need. It's great to see everyone pursuing that shared ambition."

The role of SIDN

"SIDN acts as our sparring partner, keeping us on our toes with regard to privacy, personal data protection and an internet that's open and accessible to all. One thing they're helping us with is minimising the personal data service users have to disclose. Is it sufficient for an IRMA app user to identify themselves with only their date of birth, for example? Or is a green tick in the application enough to show the local authority that you are who you say?" SIDN is contributing to IRMA in other ways as well, such as managing the IRMA network's vital server and protecting it against cyber and DDoS attacks.

ID Contact as a power point

"With ID Contact, we're enabling people to contact their local authorities using video, chat and voice-phone technology. And, when they're asked for authentication, people decide for themselves whether to use the IRMA app or DigiD. So we see ID Contact as a power socket, where you can plug in chat, video and phone systems, IRMA and other secure authentication systems."

"Our first aim is to give all municipalities in the Netherlands the opportunity to try ID Contact, once rollout and refinement of the system have progressed far enough. After that, I believe that the system offers real added value for companies involved with authentication. So, before long, ID Contact can enable public and private sector service providers to secure and enhance their services," concludes Erik.

Want to contribute to the development of ID Contact and be involved in the pilot? Contact Erik van den Heuvel by mailing erik.vanden.heuvel@arnhem.nl or visit www.idcontact.nl.