In the future, handling an Oklahoma driver’s license will be more sophisticated. Yet the transition is going to take a little time for other companies and institutions to integrate them.
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A group of 1000 people received an invitation to access the app developed by Idemia, which is the company that already handles much of the ID card infrastructure for Oklahomans and others 34 states across the country.
This new app will let users access their driver’s license or ID card information from their smartphones, covering information extracted from the state database.
The transition is moving fast
From October 1st, Oklahomans should expect to join the transition which is going to be rooted in technology.
According to David Ostrowe – Secretary of Digital Transformation and Administration – locals already using the traditional cards could visit innovate.ok.gov to learn more about the transition. Locals won’t be spending money on the transition as the app is free to download.
Ostrowe commented:
As part of a progressive plan to introduce technology into government agencies that can make a positive impact on individuals’ lives, the Oklahoma Department of Public Safety is pleased to be among the first states to conduct a comprehensive pilot program on the Mobile ID. The Mobile ID is a digital credential that is stored on your smart phone and offers all the current benefits of a state driver’s license or state identification. The credential will eventually allow individuals to conduct online proofing transactions with banks, retailers and other government agencies.”
In a similar attempt, other states are competing to run mobile identification services, and Oklahomans may be the ones who will be setting the new trend across the nation.
But moving to a digital platform doesn’t mean the state aims to remove driver’s license/ ID cards. It should be taken as an addition rather than a substitution.
According to a 2018 study developed by Pew Research Center, 81% of Americans own a smartphone which poses a challenge to tech companies.
Not to mention that only two-thirds of people over 50 years old own a smart device.
Ostrowe added:
The Mobile ID is not just a photo of your license or ID on a mobile device; it is a fully interactive identity solution that gives you control over how you share your personal information. The evolution of the driver’s license to be a secure credential easily accessed on your smartphone offers privacy features not feasible with a plastic card.”
The advent of technology also brings security and performance issues including the access to personal data from cyber intruders and government overreach.
While databases also offer vulnerabilities on data protection, Nathan Sweaney – technology consultant – mentioned his skepticism about the use of this app in relation to a privacy concern.
Sweaney said:
Everybody freaked out about the potential, ‘Oh it’s on my phone, what if hackers get to it? But that’s a reason to do things well. That’s not really a reason to not do them. And if hackers do find a way to access ID information, it’s pretty much the same data that was lost with hacks at Equifax, Capital One and inside the federal government’s Office of Personnel Management.”
In contrast, a mobile ID will have features that could it’s secured access but that would depend on the attention they give to its design.
If you want to access your ID from your phone, you’ll have to go over a passcode, facial recognition, or fingerprint along with any other personal security feature you installed in your phone.
Your information will be the same as the data your state records about your profile. And the app will be complemented with anti-counterfeiting measures.
Service advocates also regard the app as an improvement to the management of other transactions including state benefit applications, tax refunds, and other vehicle-related transactions.
As for security checks, the app will also let users display the information that is relevant for any other transaction.
Sweaney added:
Right now, if I were an attractive 22-year-old woman and I go into a bar, my only option to get in is to give the bouncer my full name, my address, my date of birth, all of these details. And really, all he needs to see is if I am 21 or not.”
SEE ALSO: Everything You Need To Know About Driving In California
