Government issued identification is one of the areas that garners a lot of attention in terms of the potential uses of blockchain technology outside the world of fintech. One driver is the susceptibility of existing systems to hacking and the attendant risk of identity theft. Another is the simple unwieldly system of so many government issued IDs — birth certificates, drivers licenses, passports, social security cards — all of which are paper-based in the U.S. Estonia, perhaps the most digitally advanced government in the world, uses blockchain for national IDs and to secure health records. There are reports that Canada, Dubai and Australia are trialing the use of blockchain technology in identity management. And, in a report filed yesterday, the Illinois Blockchain Task Force identified stated resident identification as one of the areas it suggests pursuing with blockchain technology.
Blockchain and Government IDs
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David Zaslowsky is partner in the Litigation Department of Baker McKenzie's New York office. He helps companies solve complex commercial disputes in arbitration and litigation, especially those involving cross-border issues and Section 1782 discovery. David has a degree in computer science and, as a result, has worked on numerous technical-related disputes, including, most recently, those involving blockchain and artificial intelligence. In April 2025, Attorney Intel named David one of the top 25 blockchain lawyers in the country. He is the editor of the Firm's blockchain blog and co-editor of the firm's International Litigation & Arbitration Newsletter. David has been included for a number of years in the Chambers USA Guide and Chambers Global Guide for his expertise in international arbitration. He also sits as an arbitrator and is on the roster of arbitrators for a number of arbitral institutions. David sits on the Board and chairs the governance committee of the New York International Arbitration Center, and is a founding member of the International Arbitration Club of New York. For over 35 years, he has written and spoken often on the subjects of arbitration and international litigation.