You’re online browsing job boards searching for the perfect employment opportunity. After hours of clicking on different links and reading multiple jobs descriptions and requirements, you finally found the one that you feel is just right for you. From there, you venture to the company website to fill out and submit the application. While completing the form, you notice that there is a section to input your certifications and any other credentials you may have.
However, you know that all of your credentials are still in paper format inside of an envelope somewhere in your office or in a closet. You are now put to the painstaking task of digging out that dusty folder, and scanning each one into your computer, then format them to PDF files in order to upload them to the application form.
Wouldn’t it be so much easier if you were able to keep all of your certifications on a digital platform and keep them with you virtually anywhere? That is essentially what digital credentials are.
Today is Digital
The world we live in today is operated by technology. We practically live in our computers and cell phones. Most people today have a plethora of important documents such as driver’s licenses, passports, college degrees, membership certificates, as well as work-related certifications. Digital credentials give people a way to have digitally based credentials and going paperless. These digital credentials are displayed as badges that dictate the skills, achievements, and certifications behind them. The use of digital credentials or badges are becoming highly recognized by most companies as a way to boast qualifications to clients.
Anonymous Credentials
The digital world can sometimes be an unsafe place with risks of losing all of your personal information to hackers and identity thieves. When it comes to utilizing digital credentials, there is an option to do so anonymously. Users should have the ability to obtain credentials and show properties without revealing any additional information or allow tracking.
The main idea behind anonymous credentials is the use of digital tokens that allows the user to prove certain statements about themselves privately and without leaking any sensitive information. The paper form of most credentials, i.e. passports, driver’s licenses, and medical cards, have sensitive user information on them such as their name, birth date, a photo of them, and their signature. These are types of non-anonymous credentials. Anonymous credentials would include items such as money, a plane ticket, or game tokens because they don’t have any identifying information on them.
Due to the fact that anonymous credentials have no personal identifying information, they can be shared amongst other users without the original issuer of the item being notified. For example, you can buy a plane ticket to Las Vegas and give it to your friend and the airline would be none the wiser. However, if someone uses a credit card that’s in your name, the credit card company may notify you about unknown charges.
Regardless of your stance on the technological advances of today, digital and anonymous credentials are widely developing into today’s society as a standard form of proof of eligibility.