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> If only governments could provide a very simple “check identity” service online. I think this should be a basic service nowadays. Slovenia issues personal ce
by Swizec 1y ago
> If only governments could provide a very simple “check identity” service online. I think this should be a basic service nowadays.
Slovenia issues personal certificates so you can identify yourself online. Mostly used for banking and e-gov. The commercial space has decided it’s too cumbersome.
Fantastic idea. Started rolling out when I was in college some 15 years ago. You go to the same place that issues your govt ID and you can also get the equivalent of an SSH cert issued by the government that guarantees you are you, your identity was verified at point of issuance, etc.
Unfortunately it’s about as fiddly to use as SSH. Okay for nerds, way cumbersome for normal humans who just want to log into their bank and pay their taxes damn it. Last I remember (moved to USA ~10 years ago) getting their e-signing browser widgets/extensions to work reliably on non-windows machines was hell. Most Mac/Linux users ran a whole VMWare VM just to do taxes once a year.
- immibis 1y agoImagine if you had to provide your government ID to use any website. Even for employment I find the idea iffy, but seeing as it's in response to an actual non-imagined problem, I suppose it's the most reasonable solution to that...
- dakiol 1y agoYou lack some imagination. One could verify their identity against a government service once every let’s say 5 years. You get a public link/code that you can share with employers (or banks or real state agencies or…) so that they can use the link/code against a government service to verify that you are who you claim to be.
- immibis 1y agoAdding a session token in the middle of the process of a website getting your government ID won't stop the website getting your government ID though? Either way the website learns your full name and address, and you can only ever have one account - which will make you extra careful not to violate any real or imagined rules - the chilling effect on speech is still there.