Sunday 20 February 2011

E-confidence

No doubt that we value our privacy as well as we want to feel secure. At home, at work, when traveling. Intuitively we trust documents which are signed. What about the Internet? Much is said about security on-line. However, in my opinion, it is still to little or maybe a current discussion is not deep enough.

As Joasia mentioned in some earlier posts, the EU is permanently struggling to increase consumers confidence in concluding online transactions and deal with a problem of data privacy on-line. And “struggling” is a right word, I think.

As a recent development the Commission launches public consultation on eSignatures and eIdentification. The Commission plans to ask citizens and other interested parties how electronic signatures and electronic identification (eID) and authentication can help the development of the European Digital Single Market.

The results of this consultation will feed into the Commission's review of the existing eSignature Directive and the preparation of a planned initiative on the mutual recognition of electronic identification and authentication. The online consultation runs until 15 April 2011.