UTS’s Human Technology Institute helps strengthen the safety, reliability, and trustworthiness of NSW’s Digital ID implementation.
Project summary
In April 2022, the NSW Government committed to establishing a digital identification system (Digital ID) for the people of NSW. Digital ID systems use biometric technologies to verify an individual for the purposes of accessing goods and services. These systems promise convenience and better privacy protections for individuals, and greater efficiency and cybersecurity for government and business. However, their use of facial verification technology and liveness detection can pose risks for human rights, such as privacy and non-discrimination.
With the support of a James Martin Institute Policy Challenge Grant, UTS’s Human Technology Institute (HTI) worked collaboratively with Service NSW to provide independent expert advice to ensure the rollout of NSW Digital ID is safe, accountable and trustworthy.
HTI’s project team, comprising Professor Edward Santow, Sophie Farthing and Lauren Perry, developed a governance framework and training strategy to improve user protections, system performance and oversight mechanisms for Digital ID. A summary of key insights and recommendations can be found in their policy insights paper.
The NSW Government’s Digital ID initiative is groundbreaking, because it seeks to ‘bake in’ protections that make the system more robust, while simultaneously building public trust, - Professor Santow
NSW Minister for Customer Service and Digital Government, the Hon Jihad Dib, said security and privacy considerations are central to the new technology being developed and input from the UTS work will further enhance the way these services are delivered. “As our work evolves there is great value in having an open conversation with leading experts about the way we deliver this technology to help communities understand the value and assure them of the steps we are taking to build trust in the community around Government services and digital ID initiatives,” Minister Dib said.
Read more here.
Project team
Project timeframe
SDG targets addressed by this project
Peace, justice and strong institutions:
16.3 – Promote the rule of law at the national and international levels and ensure equal access to justice for all.
16.6 Develop effective, accountable and transparent institutions at all levels
16.9 By 2030, provide legal identity for all, including birth registration
16.b Promote and enforce non-discriminatory laws and policies for sustainable development
Industry, Innovation & Infrastructure:
9.1 Develop quality, reliable, sustainable and resilient infrastructure, including regional and transborder infrastructure, to support economic development and human well-being, with a focus on affordable and equitable access for all.
Partnerships for the goals:
17.14 Enhance policy coherence for sustainable development
17.17 Encourage and promote effective public, public-private and civil society partnerships, building on the experience and resourcing strategies of partnerships
Key collaborators
James Martin Institute
NSW State Government
Dr Vafa Ghazavi
Hannah Lobb
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Professor & Co-Director, Human Technology Institute -
Policy Specialist - Human Technology Institute -
Head, Policy Lab, Human Technology Institute
