We’ve re-launched our Blog here at LiveBolt Identity, so I’ve decided to start with a “Back to Basics” approach for my first few posts.

I’ve been thinking about Identity for more than a decade now. It started with email systems, proceeded to directories and web access control systems and moved on to PKI and Identity Management provisioning systems. I’m still struck by the difficulty and intractability of what seems to be a simple issue — Who are you? Are you the person you say you are?

After all these years, three characteristics of the problem stand out in my mind:

• Context
• Ownership
• Responsibility

Like the proverbial fish thinking about water we take identity so much for granted, that most of us ignore the ‘obviousness’ of context. Identity isn’t “who we are”; it’s a description of who we are, a shorthand version, just the salient details. Those details vary by context. At the barbershop, you may well be known by sight, and your identity in that context, is your remembered history by employees and patrons of the shop. If you pay by credit card, the context changes, and you may be known by the name on the card, or by your driver’s license info, it that is required to complete the credit transaction. If you go to visit your daughter’s school principal, you may be known as “Amy’s Mother”, and your declaration and Amy’s acceptance are sufficient proof of your identity in this context. Travel across a country border, and a set of government credentials becomes necessary. Myself, in the past, I’ve used birth certificates, Merchant Seaman’s Maritime “Z” card, and passports to assert my identity in that context, and all of them were primarily used to prove citizenship, in addition to identity, because in this context (crossing borders) citizenship is key.

Context is key to determining what is necessary to prove or support an identity (or the assertion of an identity). Thus, any tools for proving or supporting identity or an identity assertion are inadequate. Or, if you feel that’s too strong a position, then call it extremely limiting. For example, why should I have to show my driver’s license, and its full complement of data when purchasing alcohol? (I admit it’s been years since I was carded, but I remember the drill.) All the seller needs to know is that a government certified picture matches my face, and that I’m of legal age. They DON’T need to know my address, or my birth date.

I’m not aware of ANY current identity product that allows for use in variable contexts. Why is that, and how can it be? (If you are, please comment.)

Next post, I’ll look at Ownership.

Filed under: Identification