Digital identity for development: The quest for justice and a research agenda
Abstract
We pursue three main objectives in this editorial for the Special Issue on Identification in a Digital Age: Implications for Development. After outlining the motivations that led us to launch this Special Issue call, we first propose a framework to map the theoretical link between digital identity and human development, articulated in three dimensions linking digital identity to expected development outcomes. Secondly, we present the seven papers in this collection in terms of how they problematise such a link, observing how each of them uses empirical data to increase existing knowledge on this connection and question it. Thirdly, we leverage insights from these contributions to put forward a research agenda on digital identity and human development, suggesting possible avenues to engage with this topic and ultimately, framing digital identity as an object of ICT4D research.
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Linking targeting to digital identity as a 'deterministic condition of development' might intensify exclusion of the most vulnerable citizens.
“Furthermore, linking targeting to digital identity as a 'deterministic condition of development' (Masiero & Bailur, 2021, p. 3) might intensify the exclusion of the most vulnerable citizens.”
From Citizens’ Claims‐Making and Navigating the Politics of Accountability in Social Cash Transfers in Uganda (2025) · cites this paper as Masiero & Bailur, 2021
Cites
What is data justice? The case for connecting digital rights and freedoms globally
Taylor, L. (2017) · Big Data & Society · doi:10.1177/2053951717736335 · Cited by 802 · see citing works
Datafying anti-poverty programmes: implications for data justice
Masiero, S., & Das, S. (2019) · Information, Communication & Society · doi:10.1080/1369118x.2019.1575448 · Cited by 103 · see citing works
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Digital identity as a platform for improving refugee management
Madon, S., & Schoemaker, E. (2021) · Information Systems Journal · doi:10.1111/isj.12353 · Cited by 70 · see citing works
Digital authoritarianism: a systematic literature review
Roberts, T., & Oosterom, M. (2025) · Information Technology for Development · doi:10.1080/02681102.2024.2425352 · Cited by 74 · see citing works
“Qureshi (2023), Masiero and Bailur (2020) and Wyers (2024) are among those who have argued that we must guard against the potential for digital transformation to smuggle in new tools and forms of oppression.”
El Assal, A. (2025) · Politics and Governance · doi:10.17645/pag.11237
“This critique is often left out in debates on linking digital identification forms, such as ID cards, with the delivery of development interventions, such as social assistance programmes (Masiero & Bailur, 2021; Nyst et al., 2016).”
- Authors
- Masiero, S., & Bailur, S.
- Affiliations
- University of Oslo (NO)
- Columbia University (US)
- Corresponding author
- Masiero, Silvia
- ORCID
- Masiero, Silvia
- Venue
- Information Technology for Development
- Publisher
- Association for Information Systems
- Published
- 2020-12-29
- Volume
- 27
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 1-12
- ISSN
- 0268-1102 (ISSN-L)
- 1554-0170
- OpenAlex
- W3117017397
- Cited by
- 68
- References
- 2
- Citations by year
- 2026: 10 · 2025: 11 · 2024: 13 · 2023: 11 · 2022: 15 · 2021: 8
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Information Technology for Development (publishedVersion)
- RePEc: Research Papers in Economics (submittedVersion)
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Computer Science › Information Systems › ICT in Developing Communities
- Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Privacy, Security, and Data Protection
- Physical Sciences › Computer Science › Information Systems › Economic Growth and Development
- Keywords
- digital identity, human development, justice, ICT4D, research agenda, digital identification, development impact
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