The Nordic nations have long since been leading enablers and adopters of digital ID solutions, with BankID having launched in Norway nearly two decades ago, in 2004. According to recent figures, 4.3 million Norwegians have a BankID[i], representing nearly 80% of the population.
BankID, which is provided by all Norwegian banks is often heralded as having played a leading role in the digitisation of Norwegian society. Currently, there are more than 10,000 public services that are digitally available using BankID authentication in Norway and on average, BankID is used approximately 220 times per year by a BankID user.[ii] These figures paint a picture of BankID as an integral part of daily life for many Norwegians.
In Australia, we are at a critical time in our digital ID journey. The exponential growth of fraud and scams and recent high profile data breaches have created an increased imperative to find a solution to minimise the amount of identity documentation collected and held by public and private sector organisations.
Recognising the role for modernised digital ID infrastructure, not only as a means to mitigate the overcollection and oversharing of such information and reduce fraud, but also as a productivity enhancing measure across the economy and public service, the Government has committed $26.9 million in 2023- 24 to expand Digital ID in Australia,[iii] prioritising a nationally coordinated legislative framework.
As Australia moves forward on its Digital ID journey, what can we learn from the Nordic experience?
- How did the Norwegian banks work alongside government in enabling adoption of digital ID?
- What are the key components of BankID which have led to its success in Norway?
- What will new regulations in Europe enabling access to Digital ID wallets mean for the future of BankID?
- What does Eurovision have to do with any of this?
For the answers to these questions and more, tune in to the latest episode of NAB Digital Next, where host Brad Carr interviews Øyvind Westby Brekke, CEO of BankID, who provides his insights from the Norwegian experience. NAB’s Senior Product Manager for Digital Identity, Linden Dawson also joins to discuss the takeaways from the Norwegian experience and what NAB is doing in this space, alongside ConnectID.
Check out the podcast on SoundCloud, Spotify and Apple Podcasts.
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[i] See www.bankid.no/about-us/
[ii] Figures provided by BankID.
[iii] Budget 2023-24 Stronger foundations for a better future, at https:// budget.gov.au/content/overview/download/budget_overview-20230511.pdf
