NSW Digital ID is being tested by 36 people

The NSW government is piloting its Digital ID with 36 participants that have so far tested the usability of the setup process and a proof-of-age verification.

The pilot was initially reported to have been ready to go at the end of last year, but the government confirmed yesterday that it had started in February 2023.

"The pilot of NSW Digital ID beta, including photo verification, opened for a small number of participants in February," a Digital.NSW spokesperson told iTnews.

"In this pilot, 36 participants successfully set up their NSW Digital ID, which tested the ability to set up the NSW Digital ID to a greater level of security, by including photo verification."

The digital wallet Beta’s face-matching technology uses identity proofing level three, the highest level of verification under the Digital Transformation Agency’s ‘ trusted digital identity framework’ besides in-person verification.

The government indicated yesterday that "pilot tests" had achieved "more than 90 percent satisfaction" scores among participants.

The spokesperson said that the next phase of the pilot will be to test use of the Digital ID "in various transactions before a broader rollout" is contemplated.

It said last week that, in addition to testing the setup of a Digital ID, it had run a ‘proof of age’ test in partnership with Mastercard and drink delivery service Tipple. 

The government said the idea of a Digital ID is to prevent "oversharing of personal data by putting people in control of how and when their information is shared."

"People will only need to verify their identity once to set up their NSW Digital ID, which gives them control over what information is passed on to other government agencies and private businesses," it said.

Minister for customer service and digital government Jihad Dib said that enabling consumers to do things like rent a car or buy alcohol without disclosing personal information like their date of birth or address was “handing the power over their privacy back to the people.”

“We want to take proactive steps to ensure everyone has access to the tools they need to protect their privacy and provide security around personal information," Dib said.

The Digital.NSW spokesperson listed a number of internal and external security and privacy frameworks that were used in designing Digital ID.

The spokesperson added that "the NSW Digital ID will be made available once rigorous testing, audit and reviews are completed to ensure information is safe and secure."