Mobile identity

Mobile identity

A mobile identity is an idem identity type, based on a message or a set of (linked) messages derived from mobile computing devices, constituting claims about the mobility, the location or other characteristics which are assumed to represent a data subject.

A mobile identity in the wide sense is a partial identity, which is connected to the mobility of the subject itself, including location data. The mobile identity may be addressable by the mobile ID. Typical settings for mobile identities comprise the use of mobile phones, the use of mobile tokens, which store identity data, or the use of RFIDs (Radio Frequency IDs). Furthermore the mobility of a subject may be observed by others including the deployment of tracking mechanisms with respect to biometric properties, e.g., by a comprehensive video surveillance. This additionally may be understood as a mobile identity.

To see more about the use of mobile identity as a personal identification stored in you mobile phone, see mobile identity management.

Economic aspects of mobility and identity

The markets for mobile communications have been investigated intensively by scientists and market research institutions in the past years. This market covers different sectors such as:

  • Business related sector
  • Governmental sector
  • Private sector

Given the plethora of new services and the sensitivity of the data processed, mobile identity management (MIdM) is needed as an enabler technology to facilitate new services and to offer an effective tool for privacy and data protection.

Two perspective can be considered in the market of mobility and identity (Royer 2008):

  1. Mobility services offered to end-users. Examples of advanced services includes functions such as telephony, international roaming, payment, etc.
  2. Location services offered to companies for enabling the implementation of location-based services, or for conducting marketing and advertising.

See also

References