France Identity, one more step towards reliable digital identification

• The chip present in the new digital identity cards of the French could one day make it possible to choose what information to disclose to which organization.

• For now, it is the France Identity app, in the test phase, which is taking its first steps to eventually provide a high level of guarantee in terms of digital identification.

• While Europe is showing its ambitions with its European digital wallet, France Identity only allows you to scan the data stored in the NFC chip of the CNI-e.

Will the France Identity application have the same success as its big brother France Connect, a public identification device on the Internet, launched in June 2016?

Stemming from an interministerial program, France Identity must ultimately make it possible to prove one's identity online, thanks to the NFC chip present on biometric identity cards, in circulation since the summer of 2021. But for the time being, preparing a hospitalization, making a power of attorney or opening a bank account are only accessible procedures for those equipped with a smartphone using the Android operating system and having the NFC short-range communication functionality.

Because France Identity is still in the test phase.

Lagging behind its European neighbours, France intends to bring out new digital services, such as the possibility of proving one's identity more easily on the Internet or during physical procedures, with the possibility of disclosing only certain information, for example to prove his majority.

And thus forget Alicem, the project initiated in 2013 which planned to use facial recognition, abandoned following in particular alerts from the Cnil.

Will France Identity be able to replace the CNI-e?

For the time being, the data remains stored in the NFC chip of the biometric identity card.

But, as Marc Nolain, director of the company AriadNext, points out to AFP, "in 2022, you have to be able to derive your identity card entirely from your phone", on the model of contactless mobile payments or Apple Wallet available in the United States.

This is also a wish of Brussels, which wants to permanently install its European digital portfolio.

Note that a survey by the company Thalès, conducted in December 2021 on this same European digital wallet, concluded that 85% of French people were ready to use it.

Citizens therefore say “yes” but France Identity still has a long way to go to guarantee data security.

In its current format, “the application is not very useful, considers Hervé Bonazzi, director of the Archipels company, a joint venture created by La Poste, EDF, Engie and the Caisse des dépôts.

Nevertheless, it is a necessary and essential document for the future of digital identity in Europe", which according to him must ultimately succeed in "making the link between different data concerning you" with the Social Security number, the mutual , the certified income…

What will France Identity be used for?

France Identity must become the first application in France that will provide a “high” level of guarantee in terms of digital identification, according to the reference framework of the European e-IDAS regulation.

This level is not yet required by any online service, but it should eventually allow access to health data, the development of fully dematerialized power of attorney, or even electronic voting.

In the meantime, France Identity will provide access to France Connect, the portal used today by more than 37 million people to pay their taxes, consult their pension rights or the balance of points on their license. To drive.

But also to France Connect +, its version which requires a “substantial” level of guarantee to, for example, open an online bank account.

Today, only La Poste's “Digital Identity” has received this certification from Anssi, which guarantees the security of information systems, and new private applications are in the process of being certified.

Another functionality of France Identity, the only one available to date, allows you to produce single-use digital proofs of identity, to avoid sending copies of the original document, for example when renting an apartment: one of the most common sources of identity theft.

False start on the Apple environment?

While France Identity's official Twitter account announced in a very mysterious tweet on Monday that it was necessary to follow

Apple's WWDC

were disappointed: no trace of support under iOS16 for the French digital identity card.

I hear we should watch #WWDC22 🕵️‍♂️😉

– France Identity (@france_identite) June 6, 2022

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The rumor of its integration into the Maps application, aka

quickly circulated just before the start of the keynote at 7 p.m. on Monday, before being denied by France Identity.

And finally, Apple didn't announce anything at all.

The application's official Twitter finally mentioned the progress of France Identity under the Apple brand: an iOS application is in preparation so that iPhone users can also benefit from these new services.

What are the privacy risks?

The use of France Identity will remain strictly optional and "is not intended to replace alternative modes, paper forms or counter", promises the government.

“This is where we remain very vigilant”, notes Bastien Le Querrec, member of the association for the defense of freedoms in the digital age La Quadrature du net, who wants these physical alternatives not to be “disincentive”.

“Through this phenomenon of excessive dematerialization of public services, we are in the process of forcing citizens to go through digital identity”.

And "who says digital identity says creation of a card in his name with his photo, date of birth...", he adds.

Another risk, it could “lead to a multiplication of cases where you will be asked to prove your identity”.

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