MyID.is Launches Public Beta for Digital Certification and Identity Verification

MyID.is Launches Public Beta: A New Standard for Digital Certification

MyID.is, a European initiative, has entered its public beta phase, aiming to establish a new standard for digital certification and online identity verification. The platform seeks to empower users to claim their real identity online, thereby combating identity theft and verifying the authenticity of content they publish across various digital platforms, including blogs, social networking accounts, and photo/video sharing sites.

Key Features and Functionality

• Digital Certification: MyID.is provides a robust system for verifying users' identities online.
• ID Theft Prevention: A core objective is to help users protect themselves from identity theft.
• Content Verification: The platform allows users to verify the content they publish.
• Dedicated URLs: Users receive a unique MyID.is URL, such as http://myid.is/username, which serves as a verifiable digital identity.
• Verification Badges: MyID.is offers badges that users can display on their blogs or social media profiles to signify their verified status.
• OpenID Provider: The service also functions as a certified OpenID provider, integrating with the broader decentralized identity ecosystem.
• Widgets: The platform includes custom widgets designed to facilitate the spread and use of users' online identities.

Verification Process

The verification process involves several steps:

1. Registration: Users register for a MyID.is Certified account on the website.
2. Personal Details: Users enter their personal information.
3. Credit Card Verification: To verify identity, MyID.is cross-checks the submitted name with credit card details. A small fee, ranging from $2 to $5, is charged for this verification, similar to processes used by platforms like Google AdSense.
4. Postal Address Verification: A 6-digit code is sent to the user's postal address, which must be entered on the platform to complete the identity verification.

Despite the small setup fee, the service itself is offered free of charge.

Challenges and Trust

A significant hurdle for MyID.is is the challenge of building user trust. Users are asked to entrust the platform with sensitive private data, including credit card details and physical addresses. While MyID.is explicitly promises not to sell this data and claims that confidential information is not stored by them but merely passes through to a secure banking system, gaining widespread confidence remains a critical task.

The company, based in London, faces the challenge of establishing a global level of trust comparable to established players. The founders acknowledge this, drawing parallels to PayPal's gradual acceptance over several years.

Competitive Landscape

While the market for global online identity verification appears to have limited competition, some existing services include:

• Trufina (U.S.)
• BeenVerified.com (U.S.)
• NorthID.com (Finland)
• BankID (Sweden)

Conclusion

MyID.is represents an ambitious project originating from Europe, aiming to provide a much-needed solution for digital identity verification and security. Its success will largely depend on its ability to overcome the inherent challenges of building user trust in an increasingly data-conscious world.

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