Shared Control is the culmination of a PTS-funded project aimed at combatting digital exclusion. In this case, this means that individuals who cannot or dare not use an e-ID (electronic identity) are being excluded from the modern world.
This digital divide is a well-documented phenomenon, yet it always seems to sneak up on societies that are digitising at an ever-increasing pace. Though there is no doubt that this process is beneficial (and inevitable given our technological advancements), it has made doing things ‘the old way’ either more difficult or downright impossible. Whether someone is able to pay their taxes, book a doctor’s appointment, or check the state of their pension could soon be necessitated upon them having an e-ID.
Most have adapted, but many have been left behind, primarily those who are unable to use an e-ID independently – the elderly and people with special needs. The result is a significant amount of people unable to access public and private e-services, barred from interacting with the digital world.
We firmly believe that nobody needs to be left behind, and that everyone deserves an equal chance to participate in digital society. Shared Control is here to make that happen.
What is Shared Control?
Shared Control is a new feature in Freja eID that allows two individuals to link their Freja eID accounts so that one person becomes the helper or assistant to the other – this would be a trusted person such as their family member or caretaker.
Whenever the person who needs help wants to do something with Freja eID, their helper will receive a notification about it and can either approve or deny their action. It is important to note that the helper cannot take any actions on behalf of the person they are helping, they can only monitor and approve or deny their actions.
Who is Shared Control for?
Shared Control is meant to both assist and encourage those people who are currently left out of the digital world for whatever reason. Be that their advanced age, a learning disability or simply a lack of confidence, we are firm believers that these should under no circumstances be barriers to having an e-ID and having access to public and private e-services.
Shared Control is also a natural continuation of our efforts to make Freja eID as accessible and user friendly as possible. We have made great efforts to comply with the standards proscribed for public authorities in Sweden when it comes to accessibility and ease of use across the entire Freja eID product.
How does it work?
Shared Control is an in-built feature and is completely free to use for anyone who has downloaded Freja eID. The only requirement is that both users must add their ID document to Freja eID and undergo an identity verification process that is done through the app.
Once both people are verified, the helper can initiate the process of account linking via their Freja eID app. Both people must be present in the same location since this linking includes scanning a QR code for security. The person that will receive help will then approve the connection and the accounts will be linked. This connection can be severed by either party at any point in time.
The helper is not limited to assisting only one person at a time and can have multiple dependents. On the other hand, the person that is receiving help may have only one helper. In general, both people can manage Shared Control through the Settings in the app.
If you’re interested to learn more about Shared Control please see here.
