Government backs ID management project

The government is conducting research to understand public perceptions of issues like privacy and consent

The UK government has put its weight behind a new three-year academic project which will aim to inform the next generation of identity management schemes.

The Visualisation and Other Methods of Expression project has been given £5.5m in backing from the Technology Strategy Board, the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council and the Economic and Social Research Council.

Experts from Cranfield, Royal Holloway and Salford universities, IT consultancy Consult Hyperion and Sunderland City Council will seek to understand public perceptions of issues like privacy and consent.

"Governments and businesses around the world will make substantial investments in identity management infrastructures over the next few years," said Andrew Tyrer, innovation platform manager at the Technology Strategy Board, in a statement.

"These procurements will need to inspire public confidence that issues around improving privacy and enabling informed consent have been fully integrated.

"This research will be key to ensuring that the hardware and software required will meet public expectations about these important issues."