Proving your identity reliably and securely on the Internet, like a passport in the real world: simple on paper, the question of the sovereign digital identity comes up against many difficulties in France, as demonstrated by the controversy Alicem . “ This is an extremely delicate subject. We must demonstrate to citizens the benefits they will derive from digital identity, and that they have confidence in the system. Without confidence and understanding, they will not use this tool, as powerful as it is , "explains MP Lrem Jean-Michel Mis, co-author with Marietta Karamanli (PS) and Christine Hennion (Lrem) of a given information report Wednesday at the National Assembly.
Read also: What is Alicem, the identification project by facial recognition of the French State?
The digital identity must allow citizens to carry out public service procedures simply and with a high degree of security (request for social assistance, registration on electoral lists, request for proxy, passport ...), but also open a bank account, certify transfers and electronic signatures of contracts, or vote in professional elections. One of the objectives is to limit identity theft, which would claim nearly 200,000 victims each year in France. “ Citizens are also taking control of the use of their personal data. To prove that he is of full age, he no longer has to provide a copy of his identity card, with his full date of birth. The digital identity certifies that he is over 18 years old, without going into details, ”explains the deputy.
No obligation for the citizen
The report lists some forty recommendations for the government. The deputies fix there a target of massive deployment, under 4 to 5 years, of the digital identity by backing it to the future electronic identity card, which will be available during 2021. When he goes to retrieve his new town hall identity card with a chip, citizens will be offered to activate their digital identity. If he accepts, he will obtain an identifier and a PIN code, as for a bank card. This code will be used to identify it on partner sites via FranceConnect, which is already used by more than 15 million French people to access tax or social security sites.
The report insists on several points necessary according to him to build confidence. Digital identity will not be mandatory. Citizens will still be able to access public service sites with their usual accounts, even if they are less secure. " We must maintain a double access door ," advocates Jean-Michel Mis.
Public and private providers
The delivery of the digital identity, which will be free, will not be exclusive to the public authorities. Citizens will be able to make the approach with private actors like La Poste - which already offers this service -, banks, or any other company certified by Ansii. " It is like for gas or electricity, there will be several suppliers whose specifications are identical ", continues the deputy. These private actors will be prohibited from using personal data for commercial or advertising purposes.
The rapporteurs also stress that the adoption of the digital identity will depend on its simplicity of creation and use. “ If it is a gas plant, citizens will not take the step. It would take a maximum of four steps to create your identity, and an experience as fluid as for Facebook or Google Connect, ”says Jean-Michel Mis. Finally, the rapporteurs consider it necessary for digital identity to be the subject of a parliamentary debate.
The file is now in the hands of the new government, whose rapporteurs hope for arbitration by the start of the school year. “ Digital identity is also a subject of the economic recovery plan. We have companies in France that are world leaders on these subjects, ”such as Atos, Gemalto and Idemia, recalls Jean-Michel Mis. “ The technologies are ready, the companies are ready. We are now awaiting political decisions. "
