User Acceptance of Electronic Identity

Communication and business are increasingly done digitally. This can be observed by the increasing number of digital interactions, such as online communication or other online interactions (e-commerce, e-banking, or eGovernment). In this digital construct of interactions, the traditional physical means of identification are outdated. Identifying ‘whois who’ is no longer just a matter of physical appearance but a digital aspect. The need for a recognised and federated electronic identity (eID) is part of various agendas of governments around the world. However, replacing physical identity claims by eID claims evokes several interdisciplinary challenges. The authentication step, which is an essential subprocess of the identity claim, is not done by a human being but by an electronically mediated mechanism. This leads to many technical challenges concerning interoperability and security. However, legal challenges also appear in terms of creating fundamental regulations for privacy and data protection. Lastly, an eID must be governed and managed. Therefore, organisational challenges are inevitable. Ultimately, in this complex construct, there are end-users who must adopt a new technological innovation. It is known that topics on identity are important to human beings. Identity itself consists of social and philosophical aspects. This study analysis the end-user acceptance of eIDin Switzerland. The unified theory of user acceptance of technology (UTAUT) and a corresponding model provides the structure. This theory is based on analysing end-user expectations, which eventually lead to acceptance. Apart from using the fundamental theory, empiricism is applied to identify acceptance factors. Ultimately, recommendations for decision makers in the eID environment are derived and validated based on the concept of design science.