Trust Talks & Digital Dives

Digital identity often focuses on verifying who someone is at login. However, authentication does not determine what that person, service, or AI agent should be allowed to access or do next. As organizations connect more applications, APIs, and third-party services, authorization decisions must reflect real-time context, relationships, consent, purpose, and risk.In this episode of Trust Talks & Digital Dives, IDENTOS CEO Mike Cook and CTO Alec Laws discuss how policy-based access control (PBAC) closes the gap between identity verification and authorization. They explain how PBAC differs from traditional role-based models, supports a zero trust approach, and helps organizations govern human and non-human access. The conversation also examines the consequences of weak authorization in healthcare and the public sector and offers practical guidance for strengthening digital trust beyond the login. Featured GuestsMike Cook, CEO at IDENTOSAs CEO of IDENTOS, Mike demonstrates the skills required to build and lead a thriving enterprise. Fueled by Mike’s unwavering dedication to delivering exceptional experiences for customers and partners, IDENTOS has earned recognition from the Globe & Mail as one of Canada's fastest-growing companies, driven by consistent expansion and strong profitability.Recognized for his strategic vision regarding the future of identity, authorization, and consent, Mike is the trusted authority in the government and healthcare sectors. He has shaped pivotal industry standards, including Kantara’s UMA 2.0, the Digital Governance Council's health access standards, and DIACC’s Pan-Canadian Trust Framework. Industry peers regularly rely on Mike’s expertise to strengthen trust through partnerships that empower individuals to gain greater control over their data.LinkedIn: https://ca.linkedin.com/in/cookm Alec Laws, CTO at IDENTOSAlec Laws is the Chief Technology Officer at IDENTOS and a principal architect of the company's core authorization platform. With a background in mobile development and solutions architecture, Alec leads a team of engineers focused on building secure, scalable identity and access solutions. He is the driving technical force behind the ongoing evolution of the product suite.LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aleclaws/ Moderator:Joni Brennan, President at DIACCLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonibrennan/ Key Discussion Topics & QuestionsWhat is policy-based access control, and how does it differ from the role-based access control models most organizations already use?Why is PBAC more important today than it was five years ago as organizations connect more applications, APIs, third-party services, and AI agents?Where does PBAC fit within a zero trust strategy, and how does it complement existing identity tools such as SSO and MFA?What is different about authorizing an AI agent compared with authorizing a human user or a traditional service account?What is a real-world consequence of not having this authorization layer in place, particularly in healthcare or public sector environments?How does IDENTOS’ involvement with DIACC, Kantara Initiative, and the Digital Governance Council translate into practical benefits for customers?If an organization already uses SSO and MFA, what is the first practical step toward adding PBAC, and what should security and privacy leaders ask their vendors?What final advice would you give organizations preparing for more dynamic, delegated, and agent-driven access?References & ResourcesIDENTOS: identos.com PolicyArc, powered by IDENTOS: https://policyarc.com/ Architecture of Trust series blog posts (with Eve Maler) - Article 1 of 3: https://www.identos.com/blog/beyond-the-handshake-bridging-the-identity-execution-gap 

What if proving your education, certifications, or professional qualifications was as easy as sharing a trusted digital credential? Whether you're entering the workforce, changing careers, moving between provinces, or immigrating to Canada, verifying your qualifications often involves paperwork, manual checks, and long delays even when you've already earned the necessary credentials.In this episode of Trust Talks & Digital Dives, we explore how learner wallets and verifiable digital credentials are transforming the way Canadians carry trusted proof of their education, skills, certifications, and professional experience. Joining us are Marie Wallace, Global Digital Identity Innovation Lead at Accenture, and Tim Toomey, Americas Lead at Accenture LearnVantage, to discuss how privacy-preserving, interoperable digital trust infrastructure can improve labour mobility, reduce fraud, and create a more connected workforce.Together, we unpack why trust frameworks, open standards, and shared digital infrastructure are just as important as the credentials themselves and how these technologies support DIACC's vision for a trusted digital economy where individuals remain in control of their information while organizations can verify credentials with confidence.Featured Guests:Marie Wallace, Global Digital Identity Innovation Lead at AccentureLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariewallace/Tim Toomey, Americas Lead at Accenture LearnVantageLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/timothy-toomey/Moderator:Joni Brennan, President at DIACCLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonibrennan/Key Discussion Topics & QuestionsWhy is it still difficult for people to prove their skills and qualifications when changing jobs, moving provinces, or coming to Canada?What do learner wallets and trusted digital credentials offer that traditional transcripts, certificates, or online profiles don't?What do employers and regulators need to confidently trust and accept digital credentials from different issuers?How can people prove what they're qualified to do while keeping control of their personal information?What infrastructure is needed to make trusted credentials work across organizations, sectors, and jurisdictions?How can approaches like UWI, open standards, and trust frameworks help make that interoperability possible at scale?What could trusted digital credentials mean in practice for skills-based hiring and labour mobility in Canada?What needs to happen next to advance Canada's digital credential ecosystem, and what do you hope Canadians will be able to do differently five years from now?References & ResourcesEmpowering Trust and Experiences With UWI: https://www.accenture.com/en/case-studies/metaverse/your-data-your-rules-new-era-trust-connectivityLearnVantage: Learning Services & Solutions: https://www.accenture.com/en/services/learning

Age assurance is becoming an essential component of creating safer digital experiences—but misconceptions about facial age estimation continue to shape public perception. Many people mistakenly associate it with facial recognition, raising concerns about privacy, surveillance, and data collection.In this episode of Trust Talks & Digital Dives, we sit down with Yoti’s Julie Dawson, Chief Regulatory & Policy Officer, and Jason Martyres, Product Engineer, to separate fact from fiction surrounding facial age estimation. Together, they explain how the technology works, why it does not identify individuals or store personal data, and how it enables organizations to verify age while protecting user privacy.From accuracy and fairness to regulation and the future of reusable age assurance, this conversation explores how facial age estimation is helping organizations build trusted, privacy-preserving digital experiences.Featured GuestsJulie Dawson, Chief Regulatory & Policy Officer at YotiLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/juliedawson/Jason Martyres, Product Engineer at YotiLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonmartyres/ModeratorJoni Brennan, President at DIACCLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonibrennan/Key Discussion Topics & QuestionsWhat is facial age estimation, and how does it differ from facial recognition?Why is facial age estimation often misunderstood, and what are some of the biggest myths surrounding the technology?How is facial age estimation built, and how does it protect user privacy without storing personal information or relying on a central database?How accurate is facial age estimation, and what do independent benchmarks, such as those conducted by NIST, tell us about its performance?How has Yoti worked to ensure facial age estimation is inclusive, fair, and trusted by consumers?How have regulators in jurisdictions such as the UK, Germany, and Australia evaluated facial age estimation?What are age buffers, and how can organizations determine the right approach for their age assurance needs?How could reusable age assurance through digital wallets, tokens, and passkeys shape the future of digital identity?References & ResourcesPractical Guide to Implementing Age Assurance Effectively: https://www.yoti.com/blog/practical-guide-implementing-age-assurance-effectively/Yoti MyFace Liveness white paper: https://www.yoti.com/blog/yoti-myface-liveness-white-paper/Facial Age Estimation white paper: https://www.yoti.com/blog/yoti-age-estimation-white-paper/Discussion Paper: Where in the Tech Stack Should Age Assurance Sit and How Should It Be Done?: https://www.yoti.com/blog/discussion-paper-where-in-the-tech-stack-should-age-assurance-sit-and-how-should-it-be-done/

In this episode of Trust Talks & Digital Dives, we explore how European innovation in digital identity and secure credentials is shaping the future of trusted digital travel and public–private collaboration.This discussion features Franziska Muschik, Senior Product Manager Innovations + Business Development at Veridos, and Andrew Johnston, Business Development Executive at Giesecke+Devrient (G+D). Drawing on the deep expertise of Veridos and G+D in secure government identity, digital travel credentials, authentication technologies, and wallet ecosystems, this conversation examines how physical and digital credentials are converging to enable secure, seamless, and trusted cross-border experiences.Together, we unpack key developments in the European Digital Identity (EUDI) framework, insights from large-scale pilots such as Aptitude and WeBuild, and what these advancements mean for Canada. We discuss interoperability opportunities between Europe and Canada, the evolution of digital travel credentials, and how secure identity solutions are strengthening trust across government and private sector ecosystems. Guests:Franziska Muschik, Senior Product Manager Innovations + Business Development at VeridosAndrew Johnston, Business Development Executive at Giesecke+DevrientModerator: Joni Brennan, President at DIACCKey Discussion Topics & QuestionsWhat key developments in European digital trust and identity should Canadians understand?EUDI and Aptitude and WeBuild PilotsYour areas of focusWhere do you see the most critical opportunities for interoperability with Canada?How are Veridos and G+D advancing secure, trusted identity across private sector and government ecosystems?What lessons from European pilots would benefit Canadian policymakers and implementers?Additional QuestionsHow are digital travel credentials evolving, and what relevance do they have for Canada?What insights have emerged from G+D and Veridos’ participation in EU digital identity pilots?How do secure credentials (physical + digital) intersect with emerging wallet ecosystems?What opportunities exist for cooperation between Canada and Europe on border modernization?References & ResourcesG+D Secure Customer Authentication Solutions: https://www.gi-de.com/en/financial-platforms/trusted-software/authenticationNetcetera mySSI: https://www.netcetera.com/netcetera-identity/mySSI.htmlVeridos Mobile ID: https://www.veridos.com/en/solutions/mobile-id/Get to KnowFranziska Muschik: https://www.linkedin.com/in/franziska-muschik-8685181a9 Andrew Johnston: https://www.linkedin.com/in/atjohnston/ Joni Brennan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonibrennan/  

The rise of Agentic AI is shifting the economy from human-initiated to agent-initiated transactions. As AI agents begin booking travel, authorizing payments, and acting on our behalf, a new trust challenge emerges: How do we verify an agent’s authority, accountability, and legitimacy?In this episode of Trust Talks & Digital Dives, we explore the Agent Payment Protocol (AP2) and the emergence of Know Your Agent (KYA). We’ll dive into how Verifiable Credentials (VCs) act as the tamper-proof ‘connective tissue’ for digital contracts, ensuring non-repudiable accountability. By bridging these protocols with the travel industry’s fragmented regulatory landscape, we are building a ‘Minimum Viable Future’—where identity, consent, eligibility, and payment flow in a single, seamless motion.Guests:José Israel Castro, Identity Solutions Senior Manager, North America & Central America at FacephiMike Luparelli Mathieu, Product Innovation Director at FacephiModerator: Joni Brennan, President at DIACCKey Discussion Topics & QuestionsWe’ve spent decades perfecting 'Know Your Customer' (KYC). Why are you arguing that in the next three years, 'Know Your Agent' (KYA) will actually be the more critical security framework for the travel and payment industries?Travel is notoriously fragmented—between airlines, hotels, and border control, the 'last mile' of a seamless journey always seems out of reach. How do Verifiable Credentials (VCs) solve the consent problem without requiring a single, global database?If an AI agent books a non-refundable hotel room by mistake, who is on the hook? How do cryptographically signed digital contracts ensure that agentic transactions are actually non-repudiable?You’ve coined the term 'Minimum Viable Future.' What does a travel experience actually look like when identity, eligibility, and payment move together in 'one motion'?Are there any last remarks or recommendations you would like to share with the audience?References & ResourcesFacephi: https://facephi.com/en/Facephi & IATA Partnership: https://facephi.com/en/news/we-partnered-with-iata-to-drive-100-digital-air-travel/Get to KnowJosé Israel Castro: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jose-israel-castro-m-10330952/ Mike Luparelli Mathieu: https://www.linkedin.com/in/msluparellimathieu/ Joni Brennan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonibrennan/