The Roof Over Our Heads, But No Walls: Why Digital ID Governance Matters

We’re enjoying the view from our digital skyscraper, but beneath us, the foundations are shaky. We’ve built a digital world with countless platforms and services, but what defines us within this world? Is it our name, our email, our phone number, or our social media handles? In truth, these are little more than temporary labels—venetian masks—that we wear as we navigate the digital wild west. But now, as we mature in our digital lives, it’s clear that we need something more stable, more accountable, more... us.

The Fragmentation of Digital Identity

Today, our digital identities are fragmented across a plethora of platforms: Gmail, Twitter (X), Instagram, WhatsApp, Telegram, and countless others. Each of these services demands a unique identity, often tied to an email address or a phone number that may change with a job, a region, or a phase in life. The result? Our digital selves are scattered, inconsistent, and vulnerable.

This fragmentation isn’t just inconvenient—it’s dangerous. With no universal standard for digital identity, we’re left to rely on the goodwill (or lack thereof) of private companies that control our data. In the meantime, our sense of privacy is a comforting illusion, easily shattered by data breaches, account hijackings, or the misuse of personal information.

And let’s not forget the irony of the phone number—a relic of the analog age—serving as a primary identifier in a world where "phoning" is often the least important function of our devices. These numbers are tied to SIM cards provided by private operators, which can change as easily as an email address, further complicating our digital identities.

The Need for Digital ID Governance in Healthcare

The consequences of fragmented digital identities are particularly severe in healthcare. Imagine a patient with a complex medical history who moves across regions, changes phone numbers, or switches providers. Without a unified digital identity, vital health records can become inaccessible or incomplete, disrupting continuity of care. This is not just a logistical issue—it can lead to misdiagnoses, repeated tests, and even critical lapses in treatment.

The European Commission has recognized this issue and is moving forward with the AI Act, which includes provisions for digital identity governance. The act aims to establish a framework for trustworthy AI, which could serve as a cornerstone for a broader, secure digital identity system. Moreover, the EU’s eIDAS (Electronic Identification, Authentication and Trust Services) regulation is another step toward a more unified approach, allowing for cross-border recognition of digital identities within Europe.

But why stop at Europe? The rest of the world must take similar steps to ensure that digital identities are more than just email addresses and social media profiles. We need a global framework for digital identity that offers stability, interoperability, and security across borders.

In healthcare, this could mean that a patient’s medical history, treatment plans, and even mental health records could seamlessly follow them, ensuring that qualified providers have access to the information they need to deliver consistent and effective care.

Solutions: Moving Beyond Email, Social Media, and Phone Numbers

The first step towards a more secure and stable digital identity is to decouple our identities from the platforms and phone numbers that currently define us. This means moving away from relying on Gmail, WhatsApp, and Telegram as the gatekeepers of our digital selves. Instead, we should advocate for the development of universal digital identities—akin to a digital passport—that can be recognized and trusted across different systems and platforms.

In healthcare, this would bridge the gap between different providers, regions, and even countries, ensuring that no matter where a patient is, their care remains continuous and informed by their full medical history.

Blockchain technology offers one potential solution, providing a decentralized and secure way to manage digital identities that are not tied to any single platform. Initiatives like the World Wide Web Consortium’s (W3C) Decentralized Identifiers (DIDs) are already exploring how to create identities that are portable, self-owned, and verifiable across different systems.

Conclusion: Building the Foundations for Digital Adulthood

"If our digital behavior is like that of a child or teen, always claiming privacy... who’s supposed to be the adult in the room?"

The time has come to mature in our approach to digital identity. We need to move beyond the fragmented, inconsistent identities we’ve been using and adopt systems that offer stability, security, and interoperability. Whether through international regulations like the EU’s AI Act and eIDAS, or through innovative technologies like blockchain and DIDs, the solution is within reach.

In healthcare, a unified digital identity could be the key to bridging gaps in care, ensuring that patients receive continuous, qualified attention from providers who have access to their complete medical history. Let’s not settle for digital identities that are little more than email addresses, phone numbers, and social media handles. Instead, let’s build a digital future where our identities are secure, stable, and respected—just as they should be in any mature society, particularly when it comes to something as vital as our health.

#Enjoy and #join the conversation

Alexandre Alahi, Ph.D Bianca Lopes Kaliya IdentityWoman Young Don Thibeau Lisa Suennen, GCB.D Eric Topol, MD Rasu Shrestha MD MBA Ursula von der Leyen John Halamka, M.D., M.S. Timnit Gebru Jack Dorsey Naval Ravikant Dr. Lance Eliot Gary Vaynerchuk

#DigitalIdentity #AIRegulation #Healthcare #DataPrivacy