The Path to an Inclusive Identity: A Non-Authoritative Approach

The goal of providing legal identity to all individuals remains a global challenge. Current digital identity models depend on the existence of authoritative issuers, which are not always available, particularly in Low-Income Countries (LICs) and Lower-Middle-Income Countries (LMICs). This limitation severely restricts the coverage of identity systems. In response, new approaches such as the non-authoritative identity model have emerged, enabling entities with local reputation to serve as primary sources of information about individuals. However, existing literature does not yet offer a comprehensive solution for implementing such systems. In this paper, we present Nexus, a data fusion module that enables reputable entities to serve as primary providers of identity information, facilitating the design and implementation of digital identity systems that complement the State or other centralized authorities. A central element of the proposed data fusion component is a novel scheme combining truth discovery algorithms and reputation tracking. The feasibility, behavior, and performance of the proposed approach are demonstrated through experiments conducted on multiple datasets. In addition, Nexus was evaluated using a dataset from a health line service in a LIC, thereby demonstrating its applicability in real-world settings. This work represents an essential step toward eliminating barriers to pursuing a comprehensive legal identity.