Long perceived as a space for emancipation, the internet has become a territory dominated by a few large platforms capable of shaping usage, capturing data, and imposing their rules. The prevailing economic model relies on the massive exploitation of personal information, transforming the user into a commodity and browsing into a tool for constant profiling.
Faced with this dependence, the response cannot be solely technological. Hosting services on sovereign infrastructures is insufficient if personal data continues to be siphoned off by private actors. The real key lies in controlling one's digital identity, that is, the ability to identify oneself online without relinquishing control of one's information.
Regain control of your online identity
A sovereign digital identity doesn't mean disappearing from the internet, but rather choosing precisely what is shared, with whom, and for what purpose. It allows you to prove a right, a situation, or a characteristic without exposing your entire digital life. Thanks to cryptographic processes, it becomes possible to attest to an age, status, or qualification without disclosing unnecessary data, thus limiting the risks of surveillance and misuse.
The model advocated by France and the European Union is consistent with this logic. It is based on a clear separation between a person's identity and their verifiable attributes. This decentralized approach breaks with centralized systems, which are often vulnerable and intrusive, and gives individuals back control of their information.
The future European digital identity wallet, the EUDI Wallet, embodies this ambition. Designed to be interoperable across the Union, it aims to offer a credible alternative to the solutions imposed by digital giants. The stakes go beyond mere technical innovation: it is about preserving an internet based on trust rather than surveillance, where evidence replaces the mass collection of data.
In a context where some countries are opting for mandatory and centralized digital identities, the European choice defends a different vision. A vision where digital identity protects individual freedom, strengthens sovereignty, and makes it possible to reconcile innovation, security, and respect for fundamental rights.
