The ID Austria is being rebuilt and expanded- Diepresse.com
The ID Austria will be rebuilt, it should be less complicated in the handling in the future. But the range of functions is also to be massively expanded, as State Secretary Alexander Pröll (ÖVP) announced on Tuesday. Pröll leaves open whether the ID Austria can also be used for age verifications on social media platforms.
A look at the « Digital Office » app already shows that changes are on the way. Maintenance work is planned for June 20. State Secretary Alexander Pröll (ÖVP) announced it in April in the « Press » interview: The ID Austria should become « easier ». The next steps have now been announced on Tuesday.
The switch from the mobile phone signature to the ID Austria and the associated « Digital Office » app was the heart of Digital State Secretary Florian Tursky (ÖVP). Numerous functions have been added since the start at the end of 2023. But it still lacks user -friendliness. That should change now.
Pröll still leaves open whether and especially what the app will look like. There should be a separate appointment for this at the end of June.
Air up
A look at the app store shows that the users are not satisfied. More than 7450 reviews and yet the app only holds at a grade of 1.7 out of 5. It is reported by crashes, of an arduous registration process and constant error messages.
One thing is certain: An app that makes authorities accessible digitally cannot work like Facebook, Netflix and Co. Special security regulations apply here that must also correspond to the European provisions.
High goals – companies on board
3.9 million people use ID Austria. The app experienced the biggest thrust during the pandemic, since then the number of users has stagnated. However, all people living in Austria should use the app by the end of 2029. So that this is possible, you would also like to get the 538 notaries on board. They are intended to actively support the ID Austria.
In the future, the app should not only make authorities, but also enable contractual conclusions with insurance companies and banking transactions such as credit conclusions. For companies as well as citizens, this « shoulder closure » is a « win-win situation ».
It should be noted that the authorities are still available. The turquoise-red-pink government also emphasized this when presenting the government program.
« We want to be a strong, efficient state and we can do that with the ID Austria, » said Pröll at the media appointment.
Identity determination via ID Austria
After the killing spree at Grazer Borg, the discussions have also flared up whether children should only have access to social media apps later. Basically, the terms of use of the providers provide the age of 13. But reality looks different. Partly much earlier, children already have their own user account.
« The ID Austria is the safe, state identification solution, » says Pröll when asked whether the app could also be available for age verification. That could be part of the solution, said Pröll. However, it is important to also strengthen digital competence; Especially the young people. You would have to learn how to deal with apps. However, a national and international solution is needed in terms of social media. Linking with the ID Austria is « a good idea in principle », but there are numerous points to consider. Pröll also mentions the GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) as a keyword, which provides that data from under-14 year olds may not be processed.
