Acxiom Providing ID Card Technology to Government Program

Acxiom will be part of President Obama's open-government initiative to facilitate online feedback from Americans on public policy matters.

Acxiom's identity card technology will enable U.S. citizens to register and access government websites without having to establish multiple user names and passwords, and it will give them control over how much personal information they share with the government.

The pilot program is being conducted by the National Institute of Health (NIH) and related agencies. Acxiom's technology will be certified under open trust frameworks developed through collaboration between the OpenID Foundation (OIDF) and the Information Card Foundation (ICF) and reviewed by the federal government.

"Americans will now be assured an easier and safer Internet experience with the government," said Tim Christin, senior vice president of Acxiom's Identity Solutions group. "That's a benefit that Acxiom, as a champion of consumer privacy and a provider of identity management, is privileged to support."

Acxiom will provide the technology that allows an individual to obtain a digital identity card to be stored on the person's computer. It is the digital equivalent of an identity card typically carried in a person's wallet.

"Digital identity cards ensure an easier and more efficient user experience to safely verify an identity while reducing the possibility of ID fraud," said Christin. "They put individuals fully in charge of their identity and information disclosure requirements over the Internet."

Open-government initiatives create opportunities for the public to interact with the government using Web 2.0 advancements such as user-generated content, blogging, messaging, surveys and search capabilities. The government's goal is to provide interactive websites that save citizens time and money and increase their direct involvement in governmental decision making.

Acxiom is a member of the ICF, an international non-profit organization whose mission is to advance simpler, more secure and more portable digital identity on the Internet.

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