David Kelts - From Idemia to Decipher Identity and the Evolution of Mobile IDs
In this episode of The Future of Identity Podcast, we are joined by David Kelts, a leader in digital identity and mobile ID initiatives, with a career that spans significant contributions across multiple companies and initiatives worldwide. David’s insights shed light on the journey of mobile driver’s licenses (mDLs), the evolution of identity verification, and his current role at Decipher Identity, where he’s tackling adoption challenges and working with businesses to expand use cases for digital identity.
We explore:
- David’s early work at Idemia, including pioneering efforts in connecting driver’s licenses to online identity proofing.
- The origin and adoption challenges of mobile driver’s licenses (mDLs) and why adoption has lagged behind expectations.
- Privacy concerns surrounding digital IDs and the misconception of “phone home” tracking in mobile identity, along with how privacy regulations are influencing this space.
- The role of standards organizations and government agencies, like AAMVA and TSA, in fostering privacy and security in digital credentials.
- The future vision for digital identity, including the potential for digital-native identity credentials, cross-border use cases, and the value of user choice in secure digital wallets.
David also shares stories from working directly with states like Utah and California on mDL projects and reflects on what’s needed for broader adoption. This episode is a deep dive into the evolving landscape of digital identity and is perfect for anyone interested in the future of authentication, privacy, and user-centric identity solutions.
You can learn more about Decipher Identity at https://decipher.id.
Reach out to Riley (@rileyphughes) and Trinsic (@trinsic_id) on Twitter. We’d love to hear from you.
Listen to the full episode on Apple podcasts, Spotify, or find all ways to listen at trinsic.id/podcast.
Video timestamps from David Kelts' interview
You can watch the full video interview on our YouTube channel, or skip to the timestamps below to find the sections that are most interesting to you.
1:40 – David’s career journey, starting with his time at Idemia
3:18 – The origin of mobile driver’s licenses (mDLs) as a concept
5:15 – The early days of identity proofing and how it has evolved
9:02 – Adoption of mDLs and working with Utah and California
17:09 – Decipher Identity and working closely with relying parties
19:44 – David’s involvement in the privacy portion of the ISO specification for mDLs
22:46 – Nuances of the “phone home” objection held by some privacy experts
33:53 – “Ripping IDs should go the way of CDs” analogy
37:39 – David’s views on the future of identity
41:16 – How to get in touch with David
How to get in touch
Most people listen to the Future of Identity on Apple or Spotify. You can find all ways to listen at trinsic.id/podcast.
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As always, you can reach out to our host, Riley Hughes, on X (@rileyphughes) or LinkedIn. We love hearing from listeners! See you again in two weeks.
