Topic

Digital Identity

Across the United States, residents use online systems to apply for and manage their benefits.

How agencies design and implement online log-in systems and identity proofing requirements shapes how residents can apply for and manage benefits online, impacts frontline staff workload, and is an important equity issue. 

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Managing digital systems to promote equity and access.

For benefits agencies, processing benefits applications and enabling applicants to manage their cases online involves balancing multiple – potentially conflicting – priorities.

In addition to ensuring eligible applicants can access benefits in a timely manner, agency staff must also consider how to implement effective fraud prevention strategies that are not overly burdensome or inequitable. Successfully navigating these challenges and implementing user-friendly online log-in and verification systems can improve security and identity verification while promoting benefits access. On this page, you’ll find resources to help your organization design and enact efficient, equitable digital identity practices.

Featured Content

Facial Recognition Technologies: A Primer

Facial Recognition Technologies: A Primer

This primer is written for a non-technical audience to increase understanding of the terminology, applications, and difficulties of evaluating facial recognition technologies.

Algorithmic Justice League
Resource
Better Identity in America: A Blueprint for State Policymakers

Better Identity in America: A Blueprint for State Policymakers

In December 2022, the Better Identity Coalition released a set of policy recommendations for State government officials, focused on ways governments can improve the privacy and security of digital identity solutions.

Resource
Dataset: Digital Authentication and Identity Proofing in Unemployment Insurance Applications

Dataset: Digital Authentication and Identity Proofing in Unemployment Insurance Applications

On February 28, 2023, the Digital Benefits Network at the Beeck Center for Social Impact + Innovation published an open dataset documenting authentication and identity proofing requirements in unemployment insurance applications. The data is drawn from publicly available information about unemployment insurance applications from agency websites, application portals, claimant guides, news coverage, vendor websites, and contracting repositories.

Beeck Center for Social Impact + Innovation at Georgetown University
Resource

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Login.gov

Described as the “public’s one account for government,” this U.S. government website allows users to use one account and password for secure, private access to participating government agencies.

Login.gov
Artifact

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program: Requirement for Interstate Data Matching To Prevent Duplicate Issuances

The National Accuracy Clearinghouse is an interstate data system used to identify individuals receiving SNAP benefits from multiple states. This interim final rule requires SNAP State agencies to provide information to the NAC regarding individuals receiving SNAP benefits in their states in order to ensure they are not already receiving benefits in another state.

Food and Nutrition Service, USDA
Artifact

Identity Verification for Unemployment Insurance (UI) Claims

This program letter from the Employment and Training Administration Advisory System, U.S. Department of Labor to State Workforce Agencies highlights the importance of identity verification in ensuring the proper payment of unemployment benefits and provide guidance to states on required administrative procedures.

Employment and Training Administration Advisory System, U.S. Department of Labor
Artifact
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Pandemic Unemployment Benefits – Where Franz Kafka Meets Fraud

In this panel conversation, presenters at the Better Identity Coalition’s 2022 policy forum “Identity, Authentication, and the Road Ahead” discuss the challenges of identity verification and access in pandemic unemployment benefits. Presenters include representatives from government, advocacy groups, and private industry.

Better Identity Coalition
Resource

Bringing Social Safety Net Benefits Online: Examining online platforms for all 50 states

This visualized report is a first first-of-its-kind view of the state of benefits applications across the nation from a client perspective, including information on application availability online, combined benefit applications, application completion times, as well as login and identity proofing requirements.

Code for America
Resource

Digital Identity in Public Benefits Applications: Balancing Equitable Access and Risk Reduction

This short resource provides an introduction to authentication and identity proofing in public benefits applications.

Beeck Center for Social Impact + Innovation
Resource

Me, Myself, and My Digital Double: Extending Sara Greene’s Stealing (Identity) From the Poor to the Challenges of Identity Verification

This essay explores the challenges of identity verification and suggests several paths forward for more equitable systems.

Minnesota Law Review
Resource

Dataset: Digital Authentication and Identity Proofing in Unemployment Insurance Applications

On February 28, 2023, the Digital Benefits Network at the Beeck Center for Social Impact + Innovation published an open dataset documenting authentication and identity proofing requirements in unemployment insurance applications. The data is drawn from publicly available information about unemployment insurance applications from agency websites, application portals, claimant guides, news coverage, vendor websites, and contracting repositories.

Beeck Center for Social Impact + Innovation at Georgetown University
Resource

NIST Digital Identity Guidelines

These guidelines from the National Institutes of Standard and Technology provide technical requirements for federal agencies implementing digital identity services.

Resource

Opening Keynote–a Fireside Chat with the Pandemic Response Accountability Committee on Identity Fraud

In this video, Susan S. Gibson, chair of the Pandemic Response Accountability Committee's (PRAC) Identity Fraud and Redress Working Group, speaks with Jeremy Grant of the Better Identity Coalition, about the challenges of identity fraud for benefits program during the COVID-19 pandemic. This video comes from the Better Identity Coalition’s 2022 policy forum, “Identity, Authentication, and the Road Ahead."

Better Identity Coalition
Resource

Digital Identity Guidelines: Federation and Assertions

These guidelines provide technical requirements for federal agencies implementing digital identity services and are not intended to constrain the development or use of standards outside of this purpose. This guideline focuses on the use of federated identity and the use of assertions to implement identity federations. Federation allows a given credential service provider to provide authentication and (optionally) subscriber attributes to a number of separately-administered relying parties.

National Institute of Standards and Technology
Resource

Improving Users’ Experience With Online SNAP and Medicaid Systems

State and county agencies have made remarkable progress digitizing their forms and processes. But to take full advantage of online systems, agencies must also ensure that people can easily set up and sign into online accounts. This would not only benefit clients, but also significantly reduce the workload for caseworkers and administrators, allowing them to focus on clients that need more intensive in-person assistance.

Center on Budget and Policy Priorities
Resource

Roadmap: NIST Special Publication 800-63-4 Digital Identity Guidelines

The Revision 4 of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Special Publication 800-63, Digital Identity Guidelines, intends to respond to the changing digital landscape that has emerged since the last major revision of this suite was published in 2017 — including the real-world implications of online risks. This roadmap outlines NIST's project milestones and opportunities to provide feedback through March 2023.

National Institute of Standards and Technology
Resource

Identity Authentication Pilot Projects – Conversion to State Option

This guidance document from the Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) allowed states more flexibility in verifying SNAP applicant identity. This guidance followed six years of pilot projects, during which states gave SNAP applicants the option to authenticate their identity using a set of multiple choice authentication questions produced by a third-party vendor based on electronically matched public records, in place of using traditional methods to authenticate identity. In addition, and consistent with federal law, states participating in the project continued to accept and begin processing any application that included at least the applicant’s name, address and signature, even if the application was otherwise incomplete.

Food and Nutrition Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture
Resource

An Introduction to Digital Identity

This short explainer video introduces digital identity and argues for modernizing identity systems in the United States, in partnership with government.

Better Identity Coalition
Resource

Login.gov to provide authentication and identity proofing services to a limited number of federally funded state and local government programs

The US General Services Administration announces that it is seeking a limited number of state and local government partners to take advantage of login.gov to administer their federally funded programs.

Login.gov
Resource

Better Identity in America: A Blueprint for Policymakers

This policy report offers recommendations for improving digital identity practices in the United States, emphasizing the role of government in creating secure, accessible digital identity resources.

The Better Identity Coalition
Resource

Better Identity in America: A Blueprint for State Policymakers

In December 2022, the Better Identity Coalition released a set of policy recommendations for State government officials, focused on ways governments can improve the privacy and security of digital identity solutions.

Resource

Federal Agencies Need to Strengthen Online Identity Verification Processes

Remote identify proofing is the process federal agencies and other entities use to verify that the individuals who apply online for benefits and services are who they claim to be. If the applicant responds correctly to personal questions, their identity is considered to be verified. However, data stolen in recent breaches could be used fraudulently to respond to knowledge-based verification questions. Alternative methods are available that provide stronger security, but these methods may have limitations in cost, convenience, technological maturity, and they may not be viable for all segments of the public.

Government Accountability Office
Resource

Code for America and GetYourRefund.org Non-filer Learnings and Recommendations

This report outlines key lessons and recommendations from Code for America's collaboration with the Voluntary Income Tax Assistance program, which served over 800,000 clients via GetYourRefund.org.

Code for America
Resource

Key Practices to Reduce Improper Payments through Identity Verification

This report from the Joint Financial Management Improvement Program outlines efforts to use identity verification to reduce improper payments in government programs, while mitigating bias and disparate impacts.

Resource

Keynote: Carole House, Director for Cybersecurity and Secure Digital Innovation, NSC

In this keynote presentation, Carole House, the Director for Cybersecurity and Secure Digital Innovation at the National Security Council discusses cybersecurity and identity management priorities at the federal level.

Better Identity Coalition
Resource

Digital Benefits Network Quarterly Call: What’s Next for Digital Identity in Public Benefits?

Identity proofing, authentication, and online access to benefits applications have been increasingly important issues for benefits agencies since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. During the call, we heard from two speakers: April Dunlap, Policy Administrator for Arizona’s Department of Economic Security and Professor Michele Gilman, Venable Professor of Law and Associate Dean for Faculty Research and Development at the University of Baltimore School of Law.

Beeck Center for Social Impact + Innovation at Georgetown University
Resource

Improving Digital Identity – Where Government Can Help

In this panel conversation from Better Identity Coalition’s 2022 policy forum “Identity, Authentication, and the Road Ahead” presenters from the General Services Administration, the Transportation Security Administration, the Consumer First Coalition, and the congressional branch, discuss government’s role in digital identity. The discussion covers a range of topics, including mobile driver’s licenses, the Social Security Administration’s electronic Consent Based Social Security Number Verification service (eCBSV), and digital identity innovation.

Better Identity Coalition
Resource

GSA extends login.gov access to states and localities

This article describes the General Services Administration’s efforts to get a limited number of state and local governments to try login.gov with their federally funded programs.

Fed Scoop
Resource

What is Digital Identity?

This short resource introduces the term digital identity and provides an overview of core questions related to the topic.

Beeck Center for Social Impact + Innovation
Resource

Digital Identity Glossary

A glossary of key terms related to digital identity.

Beeck Center for Social Impact + Innovation
Resource

Keynote Eric Mill - The Future of Strong Authentication, in the US Government and Beyond

In this keynote presentation, Eric Mill, Senior Advisor at the Office of Budget and Management, discusses the future of authentication in federal government, including zero trust security priorities. This video comes from the Better Identity Coalition’s 2022 policy forum, “Identity, Authentication, and the Road Ahead."

Better Identity Coalition
Resource

Digital Identity Guidelines: Authentication and Lifecycle Management

These guidelines provide technical requirements for federal agencies implementing digital identity services and are not intended to constrain the development or use of standards outside of this purpose. These guidelines focus on the authentication of subjects interacting with government systems over open networks, establishing that a given claimant is a subscriber who has been previously authenticated.

National Institute of Standards and Technology
Resource

Digital Identity and the Federal Government: Recent Actions and Interest

In recent years, the federal government has taken notice of cybersecurity, identity management, authentication, and identity proofing issues. This short resource guide highlights some key actions at the federal level around digital identity topics in 2022.

Beeck Center for Social Impact + Innovation
Resource

How Government and Industry are Rethinking Authentication

In this panel conversation from the Better Identity Coalition’s 2022 policy forum, “Identity, Authentication, and the Road Ahead," representatives from industry and government discuss priorities for authentication and identity management.

Better Identity Coalition
Resource

Logging In and Providing Proof: A Guide to U.S. Government Actions on Digital Identity

This guide provides a detailed overview summarizing the many initiatives and activities from Congress, the White House, federal agencies, and coalitions which may impact the digital identity landscape in the United States, including at state, local, Tribal, and territorial levels.

Beeck Center for Social Impact + Innovation at Georgetown University
Resource

Digital Identity Guidelines: Enrollment and Identity Proofing

These guidelines provide technical requirements for federal agencies implementing digital identity services and are not intended to constrain the development or use of standards outside of this purpose. This guideline focuses on the enrollment and verification of an identity for use in digital authentication.

National Institute of Standards and Technology
Resource

Analysis: Digital Authentication and Identity Proofing Requirements in Unemployment Insurance Applications

In February 2023, the Digital Benefits Network at the Beeck Center for Social Impact + Innovation released a dataset documenting authentication and identity verification requirements that unemployment insurance (UI) applicants encounter across the United States. This resource outlines high-level observations from the data and more information about the research process.

Beeck Center for Social Impact + Innovation at Georgetown University
Resource

Fixing Our Systems of Digital Identity

This brief video outlines how government can address issues in digital identity processes.

Better Identity Coalition
Resource

Digital Identity and Public Benefits: Announcing a New Research Agenda

An announcement about the Digital Benefits Network's new research agenda on digital identity in public benefits.

Beeck Center for Social Impact + Innovation
Resource

Race and Inequity in Identity Proofing Methods

The vast fraud committed through the use of stolen and synthetic identities in UI programs has spotlighted the need for updated identity fraud detection mechanisms. As states are implementing new technologies and systems, they need to consider the ways in which they are impacting racial inequities in UI benefits.

U.S. Digital Response
Resource

The Time is Now

This brief video outlines remote identity verification challenges and argues for updated systems.

Better Identity Coalition
Resource

Facial Recognition Technologies: A Primer

This primer is written for a non-technical audience to increase understanding of the terminology, applications, and difficulties of evaluating facial recognition technologies.

Algorithmic Justice League
Resource

Removing Barriers to Access From Remote Identity Proofing

Some states are adding unnecessary complexity to benefits application processes by requiring Remote Identity Proofing (RIDP) before applying or truncating other business. This paper provides background on RIDP, explains when it’s required, and makes recommendations on how states can preserve the security of online interfaces without the barrier of RIDP.

Center on Budget and Policy Priorities
Resource

ID Verification Controls Simulator

This simulator, created by the Joint Financial Management and Improvement Program (JFMIP), allows users to model program performance for a hypothetical government program, based on different identity verification decisions. The simulator illustrates concepts from the JFMIP report on payment integrity.

Joint Financial Management and Improvement Program (JFMIP)
Resource
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