digital identity service
A service enabling sharing of personal or organisational identity data.
How the laws define this
Core functions across all three instruments center on enabling individuals, entities, or users to manage, share, verify, or assert personal, organizational, or identity information in digital form to support authentication, credentialing, or online transactions. Their primary divergence lies in product scope, regulatory purpose, and taxonomy. The Digital Identity Services Trust Framework Act 2023 uniquely includes products alongside services, framing the concept around eligibility for accreditation. Conversely, the Digital Identity Services Trust Framework Bill uses the term to define the scope of services subject to trust framework rules. Finally, both the Bill and the Digital Identity Services Trust Framework Regulations 2024 (SL 2024/197) explicitly categorize these offerings into five formal service types—information, binding, authentication, credential, and facilitation—whereas the Act 2023 broadly focuses on actions like sharing, verifying, and managing information without detailing these five specific categories.
Synthesised from the 3 statutory definitions below. Each one is quoted in full, with its source.
What it triggers
- In New Zealand, under the Digital Identity Services Trust Framework Act 2023, it must meet trust framework rules to be eligible for accreditation.source
- Under the Digital Identity Services Trust Framework Regulations 2024, it is categorised into information, binding, authentication, credential, or facilitation service types for accreditation purposes.
Definitions (3)
A service that enables a user to share personal or organisational information in digital form with relying parties; the Act uses this term to define the scope of services subject to the trust framework and its rules. It covers categories such as authentication, credential, information, binding, and facilitation services as specified in the TF rules.
A service or product that enables users to share, verify, or manage personal or organisational information in digital form for the purpose of identification, authentication, or credentialing. The Act uses this term to describe the class of services eligible for accreditation under the trust framework.
Any service that enables the creation, assertion, verification, or management of identity information for individuals or entities to facilitate online transactions and interactions; the Regulations further categorise such services into information, binding, authentication, credential, and facilitation service types for accreditation purposes.
Not to be confused with
An accredited digital identity service is a digital identity service that has received accreditation under the TF regime, whereas a digital identity service is the broader class eligible for such accreditation.
A binding service is a specific type of digital identity service that links credentials to real-world identities, while a digital identity service encompasses broader categories including binding services.
Questions and answers
What services qualify as digital identity services under New Zealand law?
A service or product that enables users to share, verify, or manage personal or organisational information in digital form for identification, authentication, or credentialing qualifies. These services are eligible for accreditation under the trust framework established by the Digital Identity Services Trust Framework Act 2023.
What categories of digital identity services are defined in the regulations?
The Digital Identity Services Trust Framework Regulations 2024 categorise digital identity services into information, binding, authentication, credential, and facilitation service types for accreditation purposes.
What is the purpose of the Digital Identity Services Trust Framework Act?
The Act establishes a legal framework to accredit and regulate digital identity services in New Zealand, creates governance bodies including a TF board and TF authority, and requires accredited providers to meet TF rules.
Related Terms
accredited digital identity service
A digital identity service accredited under the TF regime....
Binding service
Service that links credentials to real-world identities....
digital verification services
State‑enabled or accredited credential verification services....
Credential Service Provider
Entity that issues or manages identity credentials....
electronic identification and trust services
eID, eSignature, eTimestamp and related trust services....