Digital identity vs. real-world identity vs. universal identity

There has been lots of chattering about "digital identity", and we certainly need improvements in how identification is performed on computer networks, but in my view such efforts are at least a bit misguided since you can't get very far with digital systems before you run into the wall of having to interface with real-world systems, such as credit cards, bank accounts, residential addresses, social security numbers, etc.

We need a true "universal identity" conceptual model that integrates both the digital world and the real world. A good starting point would be a robust problem statement, but there appears to be little interest in such an effort, at least at this time.

Maybe we need to stumble a few more times with "digital identity" (scandals, terrorism, theft, etc.) before people finally recognize that we need the kind of rock-solid foundation principles that only a robust problem statement can provide.

-- Jack Krupansky