Pseudonymity and minimal disclosure

The nPA in its initial form will already include two very interesting concepts, namely pseudonymity and minimal disclosure. The first calls for transmitting "links" instead of real data: Information that allows the owner to be matched to certain attributes without revealing his or her digital identity data. The appropriate information will already be included in the nPA's data set. Minimal disclosure, on the other hand, is a way of ensuring that only the information needed in the context of a certain transaction is actually made available. If the ID card is used, say, to access an adult website, all the provider really needs to know is whether the visitor is over 18, the exact date of birth is irrelevant. Contrariwise, the date of birth may be a necessary piece of information when filling out an insurance contract. The nPA will be able to provide this kind of discreet identity service.

The new German ID card will be able to integrate seamlessly with Microsoft's "U-Prove" system, which is based on open-source technology and already addresses some of these issues. The nPA's developers were aware of this development and were thus able to incorporate it into their own system at a very early date. The result is a high degree of technological sophistication for what is essentially a bureaucratic tool.