Our Raison D'être: what does it mean for identity to work better?
Most things start small – KNOW Identity started big. We'd been operating as a non-profit for a few months, working with global NGOs on the problem of bringing identity to the over one billion individuals worldwide who didn't have a way to legally prove who they are.
But legal identity isn't the only kind of identity. There's a whole universe of diverse players and varied challenges that hinge on effective identity – identity of individuals, identity of entities, and, increasingly, identity of devices. It's broader than any single use case. Identity is the foundation for all transactions, and we saw the demand for identity infrastructure that deals with the realities of the modern world.
It's big.
That's why we launched KNOW Identity four years ago – to take a hard look at the array of technologies, tools, regulations, and processes that underscore identity and trust in the digital age, and work to make them better.
What does it mean for identity to work better? That's what we – along with the entire KNOW community – are trying to figure out. But we KNOW the basics:
Identity that works for everyone – Inclusion is and accessibility are critical. That's why KNOW Identity hosts inclusion-oriented experts from the UN and World Bank, along with cutting edge private sector companies like Kiva and Juvo.
Identity that works everywhere – The identity landscape is fragmented – our systems and technologies aren't interoperable, and users are left to juggle a host of context-specific digital identities. KNOW 2019 brought major global enterprises like Uber and Airbnb together with international government officials and standards organizations like FIDO to talk about responsible data sharing, global coverage, and universal portability.
Identity that works accurately – The technology we have to facilitate identity processes is more advanced than ever. From biometrics to behavioral analytics to blockchain, companies are pushing the frontier of identity tools every day. KNOW Identity holds an annual startup pitch competition to spotlight what's coming next and lends our stage to upstart innovators like Blink Identity and Passbase alongside current giants like IBM, Microsoft, and Google.
Identity that works securely – The ability to tell real from fake, insiders from outsiders, and attackers from defenders is fundamental for effective identity. Security companies like Duo, RedHat, and Akamai come to KNOW to provide a more holistic view of identity-based cybersecurity.
Each of these segments involves a ton of subsidiary questions and moving parts – and we'll be looking at each of 16 different sub-topics in more depth during the run-up to KNOW. We've got a lot to cover, so we're getting the conversation started today.
KNOW is geared toward bringing together the best of the identity world now, and imagining what an even better future will look like. We're looking forward to finding out what you KNOW.
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Tagged biometricscybersecuritydigital identityidentity of things