Challenges and Opportunities of Blockchain-based Platformization of Digital Identities in the Public Sector

Titelangaben

Fridgen, Gilbert ; Guggenmos, Florian ; Lockl, Jannik ; Rieger, Alexander:
Challenges and Opportunities of Blockchain-based Platformization of Digital Identities in the Public Sector.
In: Proceedings of the 26th European Conference on Information Systems (ECIS). - Portsmouth, UK , 2018

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Abstract

Digitalization promises unprecedented opportunities for public sector institutions to increase efficiency
of current and to introduce new services. One of these opportunities are unique digital identities which
could improve migration and refugee management, simplify distribution of social services, and improve
healthcare systems. A major challenge, however, to the adoption of such digital identities is finding a
suitable technological basis. Blockchain might be such a technology. The challenges of introducing
blockchain-based digital identities, however, are both significant and fuzzy. To provide guidance on
how to overcome these challenges, we provide a detailed exploration of blockchain-based platformization
of digital identities and discuss interview insights from refugee and migration management in Germany.
We find that blockchain offers promising solutions for unique digital identity management. Likewise,
we find that implementation in the public sector would entail a range of organizational and technological
challenges. Successful adoption, on the other hand, might ultimately pave the way for decentral
and efficient e-government services.