Jersey Government Opts to Use Yoti for Biometric Citizen ID

The British dependency of Jersey has opted to use Yoti’s eponymous mobile platform as its official digital identity system.

First announced last autumn, Yoti has enjoyed a rapid ascent. The platform lets end users confirm their identity by using a smartphone camera to upload images of themselves and an ID document like a driver’s license or passport. From there, third parties can authenticate Yoti users by prompting them with a QR code to take a video selfie, with facial recognition being used to confirm that end users match their Yoti credentials on file.

This January, a further enhancement to the platform was announced, with Yoti integrating a version of blockchain accounting called hashgraph into the platform to allow it to establish virtual citizen IDs on a private ledger. That opened the door to government applications of the platform, and it looks like the island of Jersey has become the first to bite.

In a statement announcing Yoti’s selection for Jersey’s e-government project, Chief Minister Senator Ian Gorst explained that “Yoti’s technology will enable islanders to prove who they are so they can safely access government services online,” adding, “This will support the development of a more effective, efficient and responsive public sector.”

Terms of the contract have not been disclosed, nor has a timeline for its implementation been announced; but the Yoti app is currently available for free on the iOS and Android app stores.

(Originally posted on Mobile ID World)