Title: Secure electronic identification (eID) in the intersection of politics and technology

Authors: Elin Wihlborg

Addresses: Unit of Public Administration, Department of Management, Linkoping University, SE 581 83, Linkoping, Sweden

Abstract: There is a growing demand for secure identification systems in online relations. Electronic identification (eID) is becoming a critical issue, both for e-government and for online relations in general. The development of eID is a combination of technical innovations such as system design and regulatory and policy considerations. This paper analyses the development of eID in Sweden, by considering it both as a technical and a political development process co-constructed through policymaking. However, the main conclusion is the lack of political awareness in this process. This is especially noticeable since the process leads to a formation of the embryo of a digital citizenship based on the need for safe and efficient identification within public administration.

Keywords: electronic identification; e-identification; secure identification; Sweden; citizenship; policy; discourse analysis; identification security; e-government; electronic government; technological innovation; politics; political awareness.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEG.2013.058371

International Journal of Electronic Governance, 2013 Vol.6 No.2, pp.143 - 151

Received: 11 Dec 2012
Accepted: 24 Jun 2013
Published online: 18 Dec 2013 *

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