Technical organization and standards leader, IEEE, is launching a new program to create standards around consumer and patient data protection, specifically as it relates to blockchain and identity. Called, Digital Inclusion through Trust and Agency, the initiative will bring together technology innovators, policy experts and academic researchers to address the topic.

“Identity is a consideration in every business and social transaction,” explains Greg Adamson, program co-chair. “Blockchain technology could be the catalyst to making universal and dignity respecting digital identification systems a reality with its unique ability to retain identities in a secure and immutable manner.”

Participation in the new initiative is open to all individuals dedicated to securing digital inclusion for members of the global community—from the fortuitous to the underserved. The initiative’s goals are predicated on the following concepts:

• Engaging underserved populations so that their voices and needs are included
• Safeguarding personal agency and dignity to protect the most vulnerable
• Identifying oneself on the internet without sacrificing the right to privacy or the right to be forgotten
• Encouraging the use of blockchain and identity by applying distributed ledger technology to facilitate inclusion

“In today’s data driven world, with an ever-growing number of IoT devices collecting data associated with our lives, it is imperative that we develop technical and data standards that protect individuals’ data privacy and ownership of data,” notes Oleg Logvinov, program co-chair.

For more information, or to become an Initiative member, visit the Digital Inclusion through Trust and Agency program.